In appreciation of its pro-Israeli position and unlimited support and silence over its genocide war against the people of Gaza, Berlin decided to reward Saudi Arabia under Mohamed bin Salman’s (MBS) rule by lifting the arms export ban.
“Saudi Arabia has taken on a constructive position with regard to Israel,” a German foreign ministry statement said. Therefore, Berlin would no longer be opposing the sale.
In 2018, Germany restricted arms exports to countries involved in the war on Yemen, with the caveat that certain materials would still be available for export to Saudi Arabia. But after Jamal Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018, a complete ban came into effect, stating that the killing was approved by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. However, the arms export ban was removed following the Saudi pro-Israel stance at the expense of the Palestinian cause.
MBS has earlier declared intention to acquire 48 fighter jets from Germany after initially purchasing 72 in 2007 at the cost of approximately $5.6 bn.
Analyses stated that the war in Ukraine forced Germany to rethink its policy towards the kingdom, a major energy exporter, as Germany cut its reliance on Russian gas. It also had to shift its policy on not exporting weapons to active conflict zones so it could arm Ukraine in its war with Russia.
In an official visit to Israel, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that Germany can no longer block the export of Eurofighter jets to Saudi Arabia.
The war in Gaza has amply demonstrated the skewed view of human rights, freedoms, and human protection held by Western nations, who have declared their support for all Arab governments that back Israel and have supported the genocide war against the Gaza Strip, including Saudi Arabia under MBS’s rule.
