Pro-Palestine activists blocked access to the ILA Berlin Air Show ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit. Police removed protesters after they disrupted the opening of Germany’s major aerospace and defence event.
Germany has said it wants to take part in a new US-led “Board of Peace” for Gaza announced by Donald Trump. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Berlin is ready to assume responsibility in the body, which is meant to oversee Gaza’s transitional administration and support the next phase of the peace process.
Israel has urged Germany to lift its partial arms export halt and travel warning following the Gaza ceasefire. Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel said the restrictions should end and backed German participation in the Gaza peace process, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz signalled the export freeze may be reviewed.
A blurry, 14-second video published online by the Israeli company, which has now been deleted from the company’s social media channels, showed a Rafael Spike Firefly drone hovering behind a person before he evidently senses danger and runs into a building. The drone chases the person and explodes.
Seventy-four Israeli companies were supposed to exhibit at the Eurosatory defence exhibition on the outskirts of Paris, later this month, before they were banned after French President Emmanuel Macron called for Israeli attacks on Rafah to stop. Israeli stands were empty at the Dubai Airshow held last November, shortly after the October 7th attack by Hamas. But they were back on display at the Singapore Airshow held last February.
Norway, Spain and Ireland will recognize an independent Palestinian state, their leaders said in near simultaneous announcements on Wednesday, defying staunch opposition from Israel. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said in Oslo he hoped other countries would join in the initiative, believing it will advance the prospects for peace after more than seven months of fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Nicaragua argued that by providing political, financial and military support to Israel and by defunding the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), “Germany is facilitating the commission of genocide and, in any case has failed in its obligation to do everything possible to prevent the commission of genocide.”
Germany stopped selling weapons to Saudi Arabia over the war on Yemen’s Houthi militia. It has now started selling weapons to Saudi Arabia again, to intercept missile attacks from the same Houthis aimed at Israel.
Israeli soldiers in the West Bank threatened and detained a team of journalists from the German public broadcaster ARD, the network reported on Sunday evening. The soldiers behaved extremely aggressively towards the journalists and weapons were aimed into the team’s vehicle on several occasions, ARD said. Bavarian Rundfunk, the ARD member station that operates the network’s Tel Aviv studio, described the incident as an attack on press freedom.
Israel has two objectives: dismantling of the Hamas regime in Gaza and safe recovery of the hostages abducted on Saturday. Israel will have to prioritise between the two because it is doubtful if both objectives can be pursued and achieved at the same time.
The Indian Air Force is looking at ground personnel to pilot its Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) because of the existing shortage of pilots and is likely to allow qualifying PBORS (Personnel Below Officer Ranks) to become UAV pilots as well.
