German Chancellor Scholz: We will continue to provide Israel with weapons

Facing down demands that Germany join a widening arms embargo against Israel, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said today (Thursday) that his country was, is, and will remain committed to arming Israel.

In a speech before a convention of the German Bundestag, he said that "we provided Israel with weapons. We will continue to provide Israel with weapons. There will be new weapons deliveries shortly. This is the position of the government in Germany." The statement received a round of applause.

Germany's consistent position stands in contrast to that of the UK, which has suspended some arms licenses to Israel on suspicion of being used for major breaches of international law, and France, which has called for an arms embargo against Israel and even said that more arms would not bring Israel security.