Berlin opens up for Eurofighter deliveries to Saudi Arabia
Published: Monday, Jan 8th 2024, 17:00
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Saudi Arabia can hope for a green light from the German government for the delivery of Eurofighter fighter jets due to its rapprochement with Israel. Statements to this effect by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock have the backing of Olaf Scholz.
"Yes, the Federal Chancellor shares this assessment," said government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit in Berlin on Monday. Baerbock's comments were less well received in parts of her own party.
During a visit to Jerusalem on Sunday, the Foreign Minister said that Saudi Arabia was contributing to Israel's security and preventing a conflagration in the region by intercepting missiles fired at Israel by the Yemeni Houthis. "For this very reason, we do not see the German government opposing the British plans for more Eurofighters for Saudi Arabia," said Baerbock.
The fighter jets are a joint European project in which Germany is involved and therefore has a right of veto on export decisions. They are manufactured in the UK with supplies from Germany, Spain and Italy. The UK would be prepared to supply Saudi Arabia. According to unconfirmed reports, this would involve 48 jets.
However, the governing coalition of the SPD, Greens and FDP - also known as the "traffic light" after the party colors - had previously rejected such deliveries due to Saudi Arabia's role in the war in Yemen and the human rights situation in the country. The brutal killing of Saudi journalist and government critic Jamal Khashoggi by a special commando in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 also reverberated. In their coalition agreement, the SPD, Greens and FDP agreed: "We will not issue export licenses for military equipment to countries as long as they are demonstrably directly involved in the war in Yemen."
However, there were already signs of a shift in this position last summer. Due to an extensive cessation of hostilities, this clause could "no longer guide action", said Scholz in mid-July. Many of the parties involved had withdrawn from the conflict. However, a decision on the delivery of Eurofighter jets to Saudi Arabia was "not imminent in the foreseeable future", the Chancellor explained at the time - and government circles stated that this decision would initially apply until the next parliamentary elections, i.e. until the fall of 2025.
Saudi Arabia and Israel had recently moved closer together - a process that did not come to a standstill with the terrorist attack on Israel by the Islamist Hamas and other extremist Palestinian groups on October 7. Since then, Saudi Arabia has adopted a "very constructive attitude" towards Israel, praised government spokesman Hebestreit. "The Saudi Arabian air force has shot down Houthi missiles that were on their way to Israel, including with Eurofighters. And it is in the light of all these developments that the German government's position on the Eurofighter must be seen. And this is closely coordinated within the German government."
A spokesperson for the Federal Foreign Office pointed out that no decision had yet been made. At present, there is only a Saudi tender for a fighter jet delivery and the UK is considering taking part. If the other countries involved agree, the UK could apply, explained Hebestreit. The Federal Security Council, which includes Scholz and other ministers, would have to decide on this - as well as on a possible final approval if Saudi Arabia wanted to place the order.
Vice Chancellor and Economics Minister Robert Habeck admitted on ARD and ZDF television that the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia still "does not meet our standards at all", but nevertheless spoke out in favor of a possible delivery. "The Saudi Arabian defense missiles also protect Israel." The peace processes in the region also depended on "Saudi Arabia being well-disposed towards Israel - and they would like to do that."
©Keystone/SDA
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