Unfortunately, when push comes to shove, one has to consider the official support of Israel by Germany as lip

I don't know if there's any place where there's more emphasis on the "differences" between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism than in Germany.

service. Yes, Angela Merkel was good and right when addressing the Knesset. She said all the right things. These just don't add up when you see the policies vis-a-vis Iran: no pressure on the mullahs, no stop to deals with Iranian companies, more "dialogue" (whenever a "cure" doesn't work, even after decades, just do more of the same).

One will have to ask how much Frau Merkel really wants to change the atmosphere. I believe she personally has positive feelings about Israel and wants the nation to be safe. But she doesn't do anything to achieve that. Politically, I find her quite indifferent. The best you can get from a German government is something like: 'We don't have much influence, but we don't want to lose the little bit we've got. We can't afford to annoy the Iranians if we want to keep our influence' - not realizing they don't have any influence at all, but are being used. Whenever some clear word of protest comes from a German government minister, don't expect any consequences.

The German public is a whole different thing again. Two thirds of the Germans considered Israel as the main obstacle to peace about two years ago; the situation has gotten worse since then. No ordinary Israeli needs to feel unsafe here, though. When we had a group of "D'Israelis" here, the young people had no problem getting in contact with people who bought them a beer or two (but leave out politics, that might get a little embarrassing).

But you can see what Germans think about Israel - the state, the society, not necessarily the individual - when you take a look at the comments sections of German media's websites, at letters to the editor and at forum entries on the Middle East. You will find that, generally, the Arab narrative gets more and more support; and where that's not the case, many people will dismiss the problem of the false narrative as not important.

When you say you're going to Israel, people are regularly kind of aghast. For them, Israel means bombs, terror attacks and violence. Palestinians defending themselves against the IDF and settlers. So it's considered unsafe, thanks to our media's reporting on Israel. Interestingly, Algeria or Yemen still have a lot of appeal even though in those countries tourists get abducted, well, "regularly". But going to Israel for your vacation is something for which people will consider you nuts.

The change in the media presentation of Israel is quite apparent when you compare TV documentaries for Israel's 40th anniversary to that of Israel's 50th and 60th "birthdays". The trend was already there in 1988, but after the "peace process" started, the support for the Palestinians became official policy in the media, academia and among the elites, no matter how wrong the Arab narrative and how different it is from the facts. The last straw turning German public opinion against Israel for good probably was Bill Clinton's visit in Israel and Ramallah, when he told the Israeli public that 'when you came you had to realize there were some others here, too,' or however he

When you say you're going to Israel, people are regularly kind of aghast.

phrased that - meaning: Jews occupied land and didn't pay attention to Arab rights. Since then, the notion that the Jews stole Arab land and that the PLO changed their charter is German gospel. Nobody dares question this, or else....

"Why aren't the Germans implementing their promise given 60 years ago to fight any type of anti-Semitism?"

Simple: Germans don't want to be disturbed. Everything has to be okay, so we can work ourselves up over "real" problems (like tree hugging and "locusts" - remember that German prominent leftist railing against Americans buying up German assets?). It's easier to blame Iranian hate on Israel and declare Israel the problem; and define all that spiteful rhetoric as just that - Iran is a dog that barks but doesn't bite. Like all the Arabs, who didn't really mean to attack Israel in 1967 but were just barking. So Israel made a mistake in attacking Egypt and Syria and Jordan, because they didn't mean any harm. Redefine the problem and the problem is gone; but since Israel doesn't accept that way of thinking, Israel becomes the problem. Don't support problems, support solutions. The Israelis do to the Palestinians what the Nazis (emphasis: Nazis; not Germans) did to the Jews. They don't provide solutions. At least not acceptable solutions.

Convenient? Yes. Blame Israel, blame Zionism - that can't be anti-Jewish. I don't know if there's any place where there's more emphasis on the "differences" between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism than in Germany. 'Anti-Semitism is bad; anti-Zionism is a must, out of our responsibility that "Auschwitz" will never happen again - and especially the Palestinian Auschwitz the Jews are up to.' Nice reasoning, isn't it? 'Those evil Zionists don't behave, so how can the Germans be blamed for their past by the Jews? What's past is past; we're here and today the Zionists are behaving evilly. We have to stand up against evil. And don't you dare question us.'

That's Germany today.

Fortunately, there are those who really support Israel. Unfortunately, we're a small minority. The best you can



There are those who really support Israel. Unfortunately, we're a small minority.

hope for is indifference. Just the big "but" on everything you tell them about the Middle East. The Palestinians preach hate and terror? 'But the way the Israelis treat them isn't nice at all.' The Iranians threaten to destroy Israel? 'But Israel has the bomb, too. In fact, Israel's the only Middle East country with the bomb, so why should it be wrong to call on Israel to destroy its bombs so the others don't have to be afraid of them anymore?'

Yeah, they wouldn't have to be afraid of attacking Israel anymore.

Oh no, you can't say that. 'They're not the bloodthirsty monsters that the Zionists claim. That you claim. They are reasonable people. They just want to live in peace. If only the Zionists would resist making any more war.'

I wonder how long official Germany will still pay its lip service. Should the left-wing parties be able to form the next federal government, expect a change of course soon. How long the Christian Democrats will hold out paying their lip service and letting some honest people make a stand, I can't say. But the virus is out. And I am convinced it will get out of control sooner or later.