On October 7th, the largest mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust occurred. The ongoing war in the Middle East is polarizing. The Netanyahu government is alienating Israel’s friends. Michael Roth, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Bundestag, explains why he remains solidly supportive of Israel.
In the heated debate over war and peace in the Middle East, it currently takes a considerable amount of courage and inner conviction to stand by Israel. The Israeli ground offensive against the infrastructure of the terrorist Hezbollah in Lebanon has not lessened the pressure for justification. Friends of Israel like me are accused of having a misunderstood solidarity with the controversial Netanyahu government. I experience a kind of confession pressure that I do not see in any other country. As a friend of Israel, one must first mantra-like explain where one does not follow the Israeli government. Even in established circles, the commitment to Israel’s security as a German state reason, stemming from German responsibility for the crimes of the Holocaust, now ranks only second. What was once a clear „Yes“ to the security of the Jewish state has turned into a hesitant „Yes, but“ for many, where the „but“ increasingly takes up more space. An equidistance in this war is solidifying, which leaves me speechless.
Michael Roth has been a member of the German Bundestag since 1998 and has been Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee since 2021. The Social Democrat represents the North Hessian constituency of Hersfeld-Rotenburg Werra-Meißner-Kreis. Until 2021, Roth served as State Minister for Europe in the Foreign Office for eight years. In the current legislative period, the 54-year-old has been known for his vehement support for Ukraine and calls for military aid to the invaded country. Roth will not run for the Bundestag again next year.
I am not a walking mediation committee. I am biased in this conflict. I stand on Israel’s side. Not because I am blind to the suffering of the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip. Not because I would align myself with an Israeli government that is in part right-wing extremist and ultra-nationalistic and lacks a clear plan for peace. Not because I would reject a two-state solution that finally allows Israelis and Palestinians to coexist peacefully in safety and dignity. No, I assert this position so vehemently in public because there is currently a lack of noticeable pro-Israeli voices in the German debate. And I, along with others, try to fill this gap – in talk shows, on social media, and at public discussion events.
What I miss in Germany is empathy for the citizens of a country surrounded by enemies who want to wipe it off the map. Many cannot or do not want to understand what it means to be Israeli and Jewish. Israel is attacked almost every day from its neighborhood – by Hamas from the Gaza Strip, by Hezbollah from Lebanon, by the Houthis from Yemen, by pro-Iranian militias in Syria and Iraq, and in April 2024, for the first time directly from Iran. Israel’s highly effective air defense alone has prevented thousands more civilian casualties. Additionally, since October 7, 2023, there have been over 100,000 internally displaced persons in Israel who cannot return home out of fear of terror. No state can accept that part of its territory is uninhabitable because it is attacked daily by a terrorist organization. Israel’s security is threatened by Hezbollah’s arsenal of around 150,000 rockets, drones, and cruise missiles, which is an even greater threat than Hamas ever was. Israel must be able to defend itself against this terror to restore the security of all Israelis.
In conclusion, it is essential to recognize the complexities and nuances of the situation in Israel and the Middle East to understand the reasons behind Germany’s support for Israel. The historical context, political dynamics, and security concerns all play a role in shaping Germany’s stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. By standing in solidarity with Israel, Germany acknowledges its historical responsibility and commitment to promoting peace and stability in the region.
