In a significant policy shift, the German government, under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, is defending its proposal to lift a long-standing veto on Eurofighter aircraft sales to Saudi Arabia. This move comes as Germany emphasizes that Riyadh has adopted a "constructive approach" amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The embargo on Eurofighter sales has been a source of irritation among Germany's European partners © Mena Today
In a significant policy shift, the German government, under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, is defending its proposal to lift a long-standing veto on Eurofighter aircraft sales to Saudi Arabia. This move comes as Germany emphasizes that Riyadh has adopted a "constructive approach" amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The embargo on Eurofighter sales has been a source of irritation among Germany's European partners for several years. The Eurofighter program is a collaborative effort involving the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Spain, with leading defense companies such as BAE Systems, Airbus, and Leonardo participating in its development.
Chancellor Scholz's change in stance has sparked political criticism within Germany, where arms exports have long been a sensitive issue. The decision to reconsider arms sales to Saudi Arabia was announced by Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her visit to Israel.
She stated, "As the German federal government, we do not see ourselves opposing British considerations regarding other Eurofighter deals."
The German veto has effectively blocked a massive pre-order of 48 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, which was originally signed in London during a visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in 2018.
Germany had suspended arms sales to Riyadh since late 2018 following the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an act for which the Saudi Crown Prince was implicated, particularly by U.S. intelligence agencies.
As tensions escalate in the Middle East, this change in Germany's arms export policy could have far-reaching implications for regional dynamics and international relations.
It remains to be seen how this decision will impact Germany's relationships with its European partners, especially in light of the complex geopolitical situation in the region.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militants fired on Saudi oil installations in two ports on the Red Sea coast on Saturday, but the United States held back from launching air strikes on Iran itself for the first night in two weeks.
Yemen is edging towards the resumption of a more than decade-old frozen conflict, Yemeni officials, Western diplomats and analysts say, as attacks on Saudi infrastructure and shipping by Iran-aligned Houthis test the patience of the kingdom and the Yemeni government forces it backs.
President Donald Trump said Thursday that a civilian nuclear cooperation deal signed with Saudi Arabia a day earlier is "totally subject" to the kingdom normalizing relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords, adding a significant condition that was not part of the original agreement as announced.
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