Arms Exports Unbound? The German Federal Constitutional Court’s Gaza Case in Perspective

Licenses authorizing the transfer of arms to Israel have been the subject of legal challenges brought by human rights organizations and individuals across multiple jurisdictions. As one of Israel’s principal suppliers of military equipment, Germany has become a focal point in debates concerning the legality of continued military support. In February 2026, the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany (GFCC) did not admit for decision a constitutional complaint of a Palestinian from the Gaza Strip challenging German military exports to Israel. Generally, arms exports decisions are treated as matters of national security and executive decision-making, and have been justified by a state’s right to self-preservation and self-defense. As a result, arms exports licenses have often been insulated from judicial scrutiny and public accountability. It is this question of limits, as captured by the symposium’s title, Arms Exports Unbound?, that drives this intervention. The symposium aims to deepen the understanding of the GFCC’s Gaza case and contribute to wider debates concerning the capacity of law to limit violence and to emancipate survivors as well as civil society.