German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Israel on Saturday night for his first official visit, signalling a renewed warming in bilateral relations following the signing of the so-called ceasefire in Gaza in October.
The positive momentum follows last week’s launch ceremony for the Arrow 3 anti-ballistic missile system, which Germany bought from Israel.
However, German freight carrier Lufthansa Cargo has imposed an arms embargo on Israel. The company has notified international freight forwarders that all military and security cargo bound for Tel Aviv is suspended immediately and until further notice. A company spokesperson said compliance with British export controls and sanctions currently makes transporting military equipment to or from Tel Aviv impossible, though efforts are underway to find solutions for specific shipments.
Lufthansa Cargo had only recently resumed full cargo service to Israel on August 1, operating seven weekly flights after earlier halting service due to regional tensions. Meanwhile, the wider Lufthansa Group is expanding operations, increasing total weekly flights to Israel from 64 to 74 across its various airlines. Lufthansa alone runs frequent flights from Frankfurt and Munich, alongside service from Austrian Airlines, Swiss, Brussels Airlines, ITA, and Eurowings.
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