Atonement for the Holocaust through support of Israel’s Genocide in Gaza: Germany quo vadis?

The Holocaust has weighed heavily on Germany and the German population. Taught widely across almost all years in school, there is a clear sense that Germany today must take responsibility for its past and act accordingly to redeem itself. Nevertheless, while the German government and many of my fellow German citizens believe that this implies unquestioning support for the state of Israel, I will argue in this post that the main focus has to be on opposing Genocide wherever it occurs.

 

In line with earlier policies over the years, after 7 October 2023 Germany immediately threw its full weight behind the state of Israel. In 2023, the government gave permission for arms exports to Israel of €326.5 million, ten times as much as in 2022 (Der Spiegel, 25/02/2024). Germany is one of the biggest arms exporters to Israel, as ‘weapons imported from Germany make up 28 percent of Israel’s military imports’ (Al Jazeera, 15 February 2024).

 

When South Africa accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 29 December 2023, Germany was quick to jump to Israel’s defence. ‘Less than two hours after Israel had closed its pleadings, Germany announced its politically motivated intention to intervene as a third party in the case. Therefore, it can be assumed that Germany did not take sufficient time to conduct a comprehensive assessment prior to its decision. At all costs, it sought to be perceived as being on Israel’s side’ (Khaled El Mahmoud, 25 January 2024).

 

And this even though Germany had already pleaded for a broad interpretation of genocide, when it intervened in the case of Gambia against Myanmar, which would make it now difficult if not impossible to argue for a narrow and, thus, not applicable definition in the case of Israel (Tagesschau, 10/03/2024). Germany’s double standards vis-à-vis Israel are noted internationally and it is no surprise that Nicaragua accused Germany at the ICJ of assisting genocide due to its military and political support for Israel (Tagesschau, 02/03/2024).

 

Germany’s unquestioning support is not only played out at the international level. Domestically too, there are clear consequences. Across recent weeks and months, there has been a wave of demonstrations against racism and the far-right party Alternative für Deutschland. Nevertheless, ‘while the protests are welcome, what has been glaringly absent from many demonstrations is a clear expression of solidarity with those currently most targeted by racism: people of colour standing in solidarity with Palestinians’ (Josephine Valeske, 15/02/2024).

 

However, the problem is not only that these mass protest do not show any solidarity with Palestinians. Even worse, those citizens who do want to highlight the plight of Palestinians are frequently prevented from doing so. Protests are not only silent about the genocide, any show of solidarity is being silenced. ‘The demonisation of (those perceived to be) Muslims or immigrants, and the crackdown on solidarity protests goes hand in hand with Germany’s political and financial support for Israel’ (Josephine Valeske, 17/11/2023).

 

The fact that centre-right politicians regard solidarity with Palestinians as antisemitic does not necessarily come as a surprise (Josephine Valeske, 17/11/2023). Nevertheless, the picture is not much better on the Germen centre-left. ‘This may be due to the perverse notion that internalised guilt over the Holocaust can somehow be absolved by unconditional support for Israel, or because speaking out for Palestinians in the current German climate means instant cancellation’ (Josephine Valeske, 15/02/2024). Even Jewish voices criticising Israel are being silenced in Germany.

When I learned as a child in Germany about the Holocaust, I was shocked, confused and horrified. I felt deeply ashamed. How could the generation of my grandparents commit such horrendous atrocities? But I also learned in school that our history brought a particular responsibility with it – NEVER AGAIN! The German government and many of my fellow German citizens seem to think that this responsibility requires to stand with Israel regardless of what this particular country does. I disagree! NEVER AGAIN, for me, implies an obligation to speak up and mobilise against genocides, war crimes and crimes against humanity, no matter where they occur or who perpetrates them. Always with the oppressed, never the oppressor!

 

As Josephine Valeske correctly points out, ‘after the ICJ’s recent ruling, there can be no more excuses: any political actor who does not clearly position themselves against Israel’s actions is silently assenting to the ongoing genocide’ (Josephine Valeske, 15/02/2024). You simply cannot atone for the Holocaust by facilitating genocide (Josephine Valeske, 17/11/2023). Most importantly, we have to realise that ‘Israel and “the Jews” are not the same. Criticism of Israel is not criticism of Jews’ (Cook, 23/11/2022). Criticism of Israel is not anti-semitism.

 

A genocide is unfolding in front of our eyes in Gaza and yet Germany continues to back up Israel. My fellow German citizens, have we learned so little from our history?

 

Andreas Bieler

Professor of Political Economy

University of Nottingham/UK

Andreas.Bieler@nottingham.ac.uk

19 March 2024