Everything relevant to bilateral relations: a look back at the past two weeks and a look ahead at the next two weeks
Looking Back
Commemorating October 7 in Germany
On Wednesday, numerous events across Germany commemorated the Hamas attack on Israel of October 7, 2023. A rally on Berlin’s Bebelplatz under the motto “Never forget. Never stay silent” drew several hundred participants. Speakers included Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) and Israel’s ambassador in Berlin, Ron Prosor. The Federal Interior Ministry published part of Dobrindt’s speech on X.
Similar rallies took place in many other German cities. On the same day, several anti-Israel demonstrations were held at which the Hamas attack was referred to approvingly. A demonstration in Berlin under the motto “Until total liberation” was broken up early by the police after participants had committed several offenses, as the police wrote on X.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) said on the anniversary, according to a press release: “We stand up for the security and existence of Israel – this is a lesson of the Shoah and part of German identity.” What matters now, Merz said, is “laying the foundation for a new order in which Israelis, Palestinians and their neighbors can live in peace and security.”
In a one-hour debate, the Bundestag, Germany’s federal parliament, addressed the Hamas attack and its consequences for the Jewish community in Germany. All members’ speeches are available here.
In Israel, the official state commemoration of the Hamas attack had already taken place on Monday. On Wednesday, it was followed by numerous civil-society events. An overview of how October 7 was marked in Israel is available from “The Times of Israel”, among others.
Survey: Germans Have Become Less Pro-Israel
According to a study by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel’s standing among the German public has declined since the start of the Gaza war. 19 percent of German respondents said they had become more pro-Palestinian over the past three years. Eight percent said their stance had become more pro-Israeli. 46 percent said their position had not changed. Among Israeli respondents, a plurality of 43 percent see Germany as Israel’s greatest friend in Europe. Compared with 2024, fewer Israelis consider the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) dangerous. The full results of the study, which compares attitudes in Israel and four European countries, are available here.