Germany has not approved any new arms export to Israel since Chancellor Friedrich Mertz has announced a partial interruption this summer.

In early August, Mertz said Germany would no longer issue licenses for weapons that “clearly used in Gaza”. This wording implied that other types of exports, such as spare parts or systems that are not directly linked to the battles in that area, may proceed, it transmits Politico.

However, according to Politico’s report, a question by MP Ulrich Thoden, the Treasury confirmed that no licenses were granted between August 8 and September 12.

The answer makes it clear that there is a inconsistency. While the Chancellor presented the measure as a “targeted restriction”, the result has so far been a wider freezing, suggesting that ministries are delaying approvals.

Thoden, a member of the Left Group, raised the issue into an official parliamentary question, asking what licenses had been granted since Merz’s commitment and how Berlin would apply this restriction. His request asked the government to provide a complete analysis of licenses by date, quantity and type of weapon.

Germany has long been considered one of Israel’s main defense partners in Europe. The revelation comes after a previous question from the same far -left party that it revealed that Germany had approved weapons exports to Israel worth about 251m euros between the early 2024 and the mid -2025.

The decision has caused a debate inside. Some in the conservative block of Mertz say that exporting is undermining Germany’s credibility as a partner, while others – especially in the opposition – argue that it is not enough because the previously approved licenses do not remain “untouched”.