The whole world against us: How Israel lost Germany's support

The images coming out of the Gaza Strip – accurate or not, in context or not – have turned Israel into a pariah. The European Union has decided to reexamine all agreements with Israel. If that weren’t enough, our good friend on the continent – Germany – has now announced that it has had enough of this war. The reasons were detailed in a report aired Friday on "News Friday" on Kan 11.

President of the German-Israeli Friendship Association stated that “My role of defending Israel is becoming increasingly difficult.”

Volker Beck, president of the DIG (German-Israeli Friendship Association) and one of Israel’s leading supporters in Germany, issued harsh criticism of right-wing ministers in the Israeli government. Beck is a key figure in German public life who has consistently represented and defended the Israeli narrative in the media – especially after Oct. 7.

In an interview with Kan News, Beck asked the Israeli government to give him better tools to carry out the public diplomacy that Israel desperately needs in Germany. This week, a survey by the ZDF network showed support for Israel in Germany has dropped to a historic low of 12%, with 80% of respondents saying they do not agree with Israel’s actions in Gaza. Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed dissatisfaction with Israel's conduct in the Gaza war, and members of his coalition are calling on him to impose an arms embargo on Israel.

"My job to defend Israel is becoming more and more difficult because there are voices in the Israeli government which are totally unacceptable. If ministers are calling for starving the population in Gaza, or for 'sending them abroad,' which is nothing else than ethnic cleansing, this makes our task very difficult", Beck said.

When asked what his message would be to right-wing ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, Beck responded, "I would ask them to stop the racist talk to all Palestinians, and make it clear that Israel is fighting Hamas, and not Arabs."

Regarding Germany's "Staatsräson" policy toward Israel – a term coined by Chancellor Angela Merkel in the Knesset in 2009 – Beck added, “Of course, because of the Holocaust, we Germans have a responsibility toward the State of Israel. But that responsibility does not mean we must follow every extreme policy that endangers Israel’s security.”

Christoph Schult of Der Spiegel believes the Chancellor’s stance has shifted due to the situation on the ground in Gaza, as well as political pressure at home – from his Social Democratic coalition partners (SPD), who are calling for sanctions against Israel, and from European partners like France and the UK. When asked, “What do people in Germany think? That the IDF deliberately shoots at families? At children?” Schult replied, “Unfortunately, I think most people do believe that. Most believe this is not a justified war. After Oct. 7, it was different – but that has completely changed.”

Stephan Detjen, senior political commentator at German Radio, has himself shifted his stance toward Israel. Detjen, once an enthusiastic supporter of Israel, whose daughters attended a Jewish school, who visits Israel often and has many Israeli friends, said, “Maybe I’ve changed. Maybe Israel has changed. Of course, there’s no question that the Jewish people have the right to their state – Israel. The question is: what’s happening with that state? I’m worried about the country, and I’m worried about the region.”

Detjen, who was horrified by the Oct. 7 massacre and initially viewed Israel’s war on Hamas as legitimate, now thinks differently: “I believe what’s happening now is not merely a pursuit of Hamas. The scale of the destruction, the number of civilian casualties, and the rhetoric surrounding the war – calls for the expulsion of the Palestinian people – are the most troubling aspects.”

Detjen argues that Germany’s responsibility for Israel’s security ("Staatsräson") was never meant to be a bargaining chip: “It’s not a voucher for any kind of weapon. It was never intended to be a pass for Leopard tanks, submarines, or 50mm shells.” Observing the wave of young Israelis moving to Berlin, he says: “When you ask them, ‘Why do you live in Berlin? Because the clubs are so great? Because yogurt is so cheap?’ They say– ‘No, I have a future here. I don’t have a future in Israel.’ And that, of course, is very troubling.”

Next week, the German Chancellor is scheduled to speak with the Israeli Prime Minister. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar will also meet with his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul, with Israel’s initial goal being to convince the Germans that the food distribution plan in Gaza is working, and to halt – immediately – the initiatives to impose an arms embargo.