Germany's Holocaust guilt does not justify support for Israeli fascism
I was one of 17 Arab journalists invited by the German foreign ministry last month to participate in a dialogue with government, media and civil society groups. The aim was to clarify Germany’s stance on Israel’s war in Gaza.
Over the course of seven days, German politicians consistently reiterated the phrase: “We stand firm in supporting Israel’s right to exist.” This led one Palestinian journalist to ask them: “What about our right as Palestinians to exist, as we are being exterminated by a fascist government using German weapons?”
From the outset of the meetings in Berlin, tensions were palpable, especially among Palestinian journalists who live at the heart of the escalating conflict.
They were especially vocal in expressing their frustrations over Germany’s position, which entails arming Israel while cutting support to Palestinian humanitarian organisations.
Moreover, staff of German associations operating in Jordan say they have faced pressure to avoid online pro-Palestine advocacy since 7 October 2023, as Middle East Eye previously reported.
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Since the end of the Second World War, as a direct consequence of Nazi crimes against Jews during the Holocaust, Germany has adopted a strong policy of support for Israel. This support has become a cornerstone of Berlin’s foreign policy, morphing into a permanent obligation.
Germany’s support for Israel goes beyond merely endorsing its right to self-defence, extending to the provision of advanced military equipment, including submarines and weapons systems.
Partner in genocide
As part of our recent visit to Berlin, we were taken on a tour of the Wannsee villa, where senior Nazi party members in 1942 decided on the Holocaust, one of the most heinous crimes against humanity in history. But German politicians often link their guilt over these crimes against Jews to their unconditional support for Israel, even in its fascist form - as if supporting Israel equates to supporting Jews.
This unconditional support puts Germany in a difficult position, especially when it comes Israel’s repeated wars on Gaza.
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These wars consistently result in the deaths of large numbers of Palestinian civilians, making Germany’s support look like complicity with Israeli policies that cause immense suffering, particularly amid the ongoing siege of Gaza.
Germany’s insistence on the unjust link between Zionism and Judaism harms the Jewish people themselves. By providing weapons and political support to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fascist government, Germany weakens Israeli civil opposition voices, instead favouring extremist elements of the government who are fuelling a genocide machine.
This effectively makes Germany a partner in the killing of thousands of women and children.
The biggest challenge facing Germany is how to strike a balance between its commitment to Israel and its international human rights obligations
The heavy historical burden has compelled Germany to support Israel unconditionally in all international forums. While such support might be understandable in the context of historical relations, using it as a pretext to overlook Israel’s ongoing human rights violations in Gaza is both ethically and politically unjustifiable.
Today, Germany urgently needs to reassess its stance on the Gaza conflict. It must free itself from the shackles of history and adopt a fairer and more humane policy that recognises the rights of the Palestinian people. Germany can play a more positive role in advancing the peace process if it adopts policies that genuinely support human rights, including the right of Palestinians to live.
The biggest challenge facing Germany is how to strike a balance between its commitment to Israel and its international human rights obligations. It can play a constructive role by pushing for a peaceful and just resolution to the conflict, one that advocates for the establishment of a Palestinian state based on UN resolutions.
But the immediate priority today is to stop the Zionist killing machine in Lebanon and Gaza.
The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.
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