Nothing new in Germany
23.05.2025
“Against the backdrop of the Shoah and German guilt for the murder of Jews in Europe, the establishment of relations 60 years ago was not a matter of course,” reads the text, which was jointly submitted by all 16 German federal states and supported by all political parties including the Left Party (Die Linken) and Sarah Wageaknecht’s BSW. The relations between the two states would always be special, no matter what crimes Israel commits.
In view of the current situation, the Federal Council once again condemns the attack on Israel by the radical Islamic Palestinian organisation Hamas on 7 October 2023. In this context, it also reaffirms Israel’s right to self-defence and the demand for the release of the hostages abducted by Hamas.
With regard to Gaza, the Federal Council also insists ‘on compliance with international law and in particular international humanitarian law by all parties involved in the conflict’. The Federal Government is called upon to work towards a de-escalation of the conflict. ‘It must remain the common goal to work towards a lasting settlement between Israel and the Palestinian territories that enables all people to live in peace, freedom and self-determination,’ it continues. Assuming any Palestinians are left in Gaza or the West Bank.
“Yes, there is new and old anti-Semitism, even today,” said Rehlinger. This is “louder and more violent than ever before in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany”. This is condemned “in the strongest terms”, in particular “anti-Israeli hate demonstrations” in which Israel’s right to exist and commit genocide is denied. It affirms that “both Israel’s right to exist and the protection and security of Jewish people in Germany are part of Germany’s raison d’être”. This should not be tolerated. Several speakers in the Bundesrat also condemned the killing of two Israelis in Washington for suspected anti-Semitic motives.
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