Ruth Rohde

The revelations of ongoing transfers by Germany of components for fighting vehicles, other arms & ammo to Israel comes just in time for the submission of the arguments to the ICJ on 21 July 2025 in the case accusing Germany of complicity in Israel's atrocity crimes and grave breaches of int'l law.

My latest research reveals Germany supplied arms to Israel every month of 2024. It's time to #StopArmingIsrael. Read all about it here:

Can't say I'd mourn it. (Though actually it won't be the end of the US arms industry. Most of their revenue is from the DOD. Exports are the icing. And most of their exports are not to Europe). But yeah, European states are going to be seriously rethinking where they buy their arms

Military spending is touted as a remedy for Britain’s ailing economy. Here’s why it won’t work | Khem Rogaly Since the 1980s Britain’s military spending has grown in real terms, yet more than half of military jobs have been lost. The sector is hi-tech and low labour, says Khem Rogaly, a senior research fello...

“Perhaps worst of all, the government is claiming that military spending is Britain’s economic salvation while wearing fiscal handcuffs of its own making.”

Khem Rogaly in @theguardian.com on why increasing military spending isn’t going to fix our broken economy.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Today's highly recommending reading is the annual SIPRI arms transfers factsheet @sipri.org 👇

Egypt, under an authoritarian military regime, is almost on par with Ukraine in German major weapons exports 2020-24.

Israel, despite its illegal occupation and genocide, is in third place.

This all doesn't bode well for the global impacts of Germany's new war economy.

We should all be scared by what's happening in Germany.

Authoritarian tendencies, poorer people, a government that doesn't prioritize the massive investment backlog but wants to spend HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS on the military and "infrastructure" (i.e.making bridges safe for tanks)-What could go wrong?

“The [UK military] budget as it stands is larger in real terms than in 1980 at the height of the Cold War.”
 
Khem Rogaly for LBC News on the UK’s decision to increase defence spending.

Shadow World Investigations Annual Report 2024 - Shadow World Investigations This report lays out our main activities and highlights from 2024, including the publication of Monstrous Anger of the Guns and the many ways we held power to account, empowered movements and advocate...

Learn more about institutional partner Shadow World Investigations @shadowworldinv1.bsky.social via their recently launched 2024 annual report @andrewfeinstein.bsky.social @ruth4peace.bsky.social @annastavrianakis.bsky.social shadowworldinvestigations.org/shadow-world...

Campaigners urge F-35 fighter jet producing nations to stop supplying Israel Exclusive: More than 200 civil society groups say governments have failed to prevent planes from being used to violate international law More than 200 organisations worldwide have called on nations involved in producing F-35 fighter jets to “immediately…

Campaigners urge F-35 fighter jet producing nations to stop supplying Israel

How arms dealing has compromised Britain’s foreign policy | Letters Letters: Dr Sam Perlo-Freeman, Paul Bennett, Helen Jones and Laura Harling respond to an article by a former diplomat on the UK’s complicity in war crimes

My letter in tomorrow's Guardian (and this evening's online edition). Following ex-FCDO whistleblower Mark Smith's op-ed on Monday.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...

great letter, Sam!

"Weil da die Macht ist": Rheinmetall-Tochter spendete an mehrere Politiker für Wahlkampf Der Rüstungskonzern spendete an mehrere Abgeordnete Geld zur Wahlkampfunterstützung. Ein Parlamentarier übt scharfe Kritik.

German arms giant #Rheinmetall subsidiary Blackned is accused of offering MPs 2,000€ between two votes on billion Euro projects. 7 MPs took the money. There is a word for this... www.t-online.de/nachrichten/...

Quote on image reads "Officials are bullied into silence. Processes are manipulated to produce politically convenient outcomes. Whistleblowers are stonewalled, isolated and ignored. And all the while, the Uk government continues to arm regimes that commit atrocities, hiding behind legal loopholes and public relations spin." Quote from former FCDO Official Mark Smith

A former UK Foreign Office Official has blown the whistle on the broken UK arms export control system and alleges complicity in war crimes #StopArmingIsrael #StopArmingSaudi www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I saw illegality and complicity with war crimes. That’s why I quit the UK Foreign Office | Mark Smith Ministers and senior officials protected arms deals facilitating death and horror in Gaza and Yemen. I urge my former colleagues to resist them, says one-time Foreign Office policy adviser Mark Smith

The most concerning case was arms sales to Saudi Arabia during its Yemen campaign. The UK knew Saudi airstrikes caused mass civilian deaths, and in a high-level meeting, officials admitted they had exceeded the threshold to halt sales. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I saw illegality and complicity with war crimes. That’s why I quit the UK Foreign Office | Mark Smith Ministers and senior officials protected arms deals facilitating death and horror in Gaza and Yemen. I urge my former colleagues to resist them, says one-time Foreign Office policy adviser Mark Smith

"They stall, distort and obscure official processes to create a facade of legitimacy, while allowing the most egregious crimes against humanity to take place"

Incredible account from an ex-official about how the gov has manipulated law & evidence to arm 🇮🇱 & 🇸🇦
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Israel to receive $1 billion in bombs and bulldozers from Trump Tel Aviv is clearly exempt from the president's blitz on foreign aid

The US froze foreign aid for humanitarian programs—but wants $1 billion in bombs for Israel. Priorities couldn’t be clearer.

High Court challenge over UK arms sales to Israel moves ahead, judge rules A hearing, set for May, will focus on government's decision to continue exporting F-35 parts for Israeli fighter jets while suspending other UK-made weapons

NEW: High Court allows our challenge with
Al-Haq over UK arms exports to Israel to progress to full hearing. #BreakingNews‌ #Israel #Palestine #Gaza
www.middleeasteye.net/news/high-co...

Today we published an extensive and exploratory supply chain analysis of F-35 production Lots associated with the Israeli F-35I program, and the manufacturers behind them:

"Global Production of the Israeli F-35I Joint Strike Fighter"

t.co/hRvdm780a2

@ploughsharesca.bsky.social

Bob Menendez' and the Egyptian gov.'s actions harmed Egyptians as well as Americans. I. a. the corruption increased meat prices in Egypt!

We previously wrote this summary on the allegations he has now been sentenced for (focusing on those related to arms): corruption-tracker.org/case/the-hal...

Women and Children in Yemeni Village Recall Horror of Trump’s “Highly Successful” SEAL Raid The Trump administration says its January 29 raid in Yemen was a huge success. But eyewitness accounts contradict the White House’s version of events.

On this day 8 years ago, Navy SEALs carried out Trump's first military operation abroad.
The raid on a Yemeni village killed more than 20 civilians including nine children under the age of 13.
Trump called it "highly successful" and the US press parroted his lies.
theintercept.com/2017/03/09/w...

In #LookingAhead2025, @jeffabramson.bsky.social says "Biden admin. has left President Trump a surprisingly low bar when it comes to improving U.S. arms trade restraint. Unfortunately and dangerously, the Trump admin. is likely to lower the bar even further." www.forumarmstrade.org/blog/predict...

Thanks @frankslijper.bsky.social for sharing!

Wallonia arms sales to UAE: Three export licences suspended by top court Wallonia's regional leader called for arms licence legislation to be reviewed, adding that it "is not the only region exporting" to the UAE.

ICYMI: On January 10th a court in Wallonia, Belgium, suspended three arms export licenses to the UAE!

Well done campaigners @vredesactie.bsky.social, @liguedroitshumains.bsky.social , CNAPD, @amnestybelgiumfr.bsky.social

#KeepEyesOnSudan #BoycottUAE

www.brusselstimes.com/1388525/wall...

Record arms sales fuel global explosive violence surge, AOAV reports - AOAV Global arms sales soared to record levels in 2024, coinciding with a devastating rise in civilian casualties from explosive violence, highlighting the urgent need for greater accountability in arms tr...

Record arms sales fuel global explosive violence surge, AOAV reports

aoav.org.uk/2025/record-...

The White House has instructed the US military to release a hold imposed by former US President Joe Biden’s administration on the supply of 2,000-pound (900kg) bombs to Israel, reports Axios, citing three Israeli officials.

🔴 LIVE updates: aje.io/s3c9de

US Lawmakers Say UAE Still Sending Arms To Sudan Fighters Two US lawmakers said Friday that the United Arab Emirates has violated its promises and kept arming Sudan's Rapid Support Forces, which Washington has accused of genocide.

"Based on my conversations with the Biden administration, it's clear that the #UAE is continuing to provide weapons to the murderous #RSF, violating the assurances provided to the former administration," Van Hollen said in a statement"
www.barrons.com/news/us-lawm...

go.bsky.app/U4jPcYY

The ICC prosecutor has applied for arrest warrants for the Supreme Leader of the Taliban, Haibatullah Akhundzada, and the Chief Justice of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Abdul Hakim Haqqani, for the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds.