Lufthansa Cargo Imposes Arms Embargo on Israel Citing UK Export Controls
Lufthansa Cargo has suspended all military shipments to Israel, citing a British export control directive as mounting international law concerns deepen over Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
German freight carrier Lufthansa Cargo has imposed an embargo on all military and security-related cargo to and from Tel Aviv, according to a report published by the Israeli news outlet Globes on Sunday.
The company attributed the decision to a British export control directive and related sanctions that now make military transport to Israel “impossible,” regardless of flight origin or routing.
In a notice sent to international freight forwarders, Lufthansa Cargo said the embargo was effective “with immediate effect until further notice.”
The carrier, which resumed full cargo operations to Israel on August 1 and currently operates multiple weekly flights using Boeing 777 and Airbus 321 aircraft, stressed that it is attempting to find “solutions” for specific shipments but is unable to move any military equipment under the new regulatory constraints.
The announcement comes as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Israel for his first official visit, highlighting a renewed political alignment between Berlin and Tel Aviv following last week’s Arrow 3 missile-defense ceremony.
While government-to-government ties appear to be tightening, Lufthansa’s embargo shows that corporate actors are facing a different reality, one shaped not by political gestures but by the growing legal risks associated with arms transfers to a conflict under investigation for grave violations of international law.
Lufthansa stated that it “fully complies with all relevant laws and regulations” and that the British directive leaves it no legal basis to carry military goods.
The United Kingdom has faced increasing pressure over its own arms exports to Israel, after courts and human rights groups argued that British-made components risk being used in operations that violate international humanitarian law.
Although the UK government has not publicly announced a full suspension of arms exports, its tightening restrictions now affect foreign carriers transporting British-origin items or goods that fall under British export licensing.
The UK, Germany, and other European states are all signatories to the Arms Trade Treaty, which prohibits arms transfers when there is a clear risk that the weapons will be used to commit genocide, crimes against humanity, or serious violations of the laws of war.
European governments are also bound by their own export regulations, including the EU Common Position on Arms Exports, which requires the denial of export licences when there is a risk of misuse.
Starting on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military, with American support, launched a genocidal war against the people of Gaza. This campaign has so far resulted in the deaths of over 70,000 Palestinians, with more than 170,000 wounded. The vast majority of the population has been displaced, and the destruction of infrastructure is unprecedented since World War II. Thousands of people are still missing.
In addition to the military assault, the Israeli blockade has caused a man-made famine, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians—mostly children—with hundreds of thousands more at risk.
Despite widespread international condemnation, little has been done to hold Israel accountable. The nation is currently under investigation for genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.
(The Palestine Chronicle)