Berlin’s administrative court on Wednesday rejected two appeals to block German arms exports to Israel on procedural grounds.
Cases were filed by several Palestinians: one from a naturalized German citizen and the other from his father and other co-plaintiffs in Gaza.
The main goals of his appeal were to halt all future arms exports until a ceasefire and peace negotiation process in the Middle East was completed, and to outlaw an arms export license already granted by the German government for the export of 3,000 portable anti-tank weapons.
The plaintiffs argued that the government’s approval of the export violated Germany’s commitments under international humanitarian law.
The court found the cases illegal in view of the changed circumstances
The court said in a press release on Wednesday evening That both cases were dismissed on procedural grounds.
It added that the preemptive prevention of new arms exports sought by the plaintiffs would require a situation where it is likely that Germany will export arms to Israel in violation of its human rights law commitments in the near future.
“This is not expected to happen at this time,” the court wrote. “The federal government has apparently changed its approval policy on deliveries of weapons of war to Israel.”
The second lawsuit, which initially sought to revoke approval to export anti-tank weapons to Israel in October 2023, was later changed to seek a retroactive statement declaring the exports illegal.
The court said that this could only be granted if there was a concrete risk that the German government would act in the same way again.
It added that Berlin’s future decisions “cannot be predicted with certainty” and that “the situation of the Gaza conflict has changed significantly since the fall of 2023.”
The cases follow several previous unsuccessful attempts to secure an emergency injunction blocking arms exports.
The case was being heard in the Berlin city court because that is the seat of the government. Although being heard by Administrative Court officials, the hearing was transferred to the more secure Moabit Criminal Court on security grounds.
Doctor tells court he has treated victims of destruction
A total of seven original plaintiffs, one of whom has since died, appeared in court to testify in person on Wednesday.
The naturalized German citizen, a physician, said he had been treating wounded during the war in Gaza and had seen the damage caused by “weapons made in Germany”, an English-language slogan often used by German businesses and politicians to make claims about export quality and popularity.
He said that as a pediatrician he fought for the lives of the injured, “no matter their skin colour, origin, religion or ethnicity,” adding: “I expect the same of others.”
Presiding Judge Stephan Goskarth told the doctor that his case would not succeed due to the long time he spent in Germany and the man later withdrew it. He said that he did not expect success but wanted to try his best.
“I want to be able to look my parents in the eyes,” he told the court.
One of the plaintiffs’ lawyers based in Gaza told the Chamber about his experiences during the war. Remo Klinger told the court that one of them was killed in an attack in Gaza in July at the age of 63. Others were living in refugee camps and had lost many relatives in the fighting, he said.
Germany increased arms exports, then reduced
A panel of senior members of Germany’s federal government has to approve arms exports to other countries on an individual basis.
Following Hamas’ October 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel, which triggered the most recent war in Gaza, the Government of Germany decided to step up and prioritize the consideration and approval of arms exports to Israel.
In August 2025, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Germany would temporarily stop approving arms exports that could be used in Gaza, which he said was in response to an increasingly aggressive approach by Israeli forces at the time. The plaintiff said that this undertaking was inadequate.
The following month, the government approved the export of military equipment worth at least €2.46 million (about $2.85 million), a response to a parliamentary question issued by the opposition Left party showed.
This figure is a significant decrease compared to the more than €250 million worth of weapons approved for export between January 1 and August 8, 2025.
A shaky ceasefire came into effect in Gaza on 10 October, but there have been several incidents of fighting since then.
Edited by: Dmytro Lyubenko