“We see no signs that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza,” Fischer stressed to reporters at the press briefing as he was quoted by Anadolu news agency.
He went on to say in reference to a report published by the German Bild newspaper on the topic: “In this light, you may also be able to assess the reporting, and the accuracy of this reporting.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on 16 October promised that Germany would “always” continue delivering arms to Israel for its war against Lebanon and the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
“There are deliveries and there will always be further deliveries. Israel can rely on that,” Scholz said in remarks to parliament, adding that Germany must keep Israel “in a position to defend its country”.
The United States is overwhelmingly the biggest supplier of arms to Israel. In 2023 69% of Israel’s arm imports came from the US, according to a report into international arms transfers by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Germany was the second largest, providing 30%, followed by Italy with 0.9%. The UK, France and Spain were among other minor contributors.
„Wir haben Waffen geliefert, und wir werden Waffen liefern“, stellte Scholz in seiner Rede vor den Abgeordneten klar. Die Bundesregierung habe Entscheidungen getroffen, „die auch sicherstellen, dass es demnächst weitere Lieferungen geben wird“.
„We have not decided not to supply weapons. We have supplied weapons and we will supply weapons,“ Scholz told parliament at an event to commemorate the victims of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, countering an accusation from opposition leader Friedrich Merz.
The government had made decisions „that also ensure that there will be further deliveries soon,“ the chancellor said.