The upper house of the German parliament, the Bundesrat, has voted to advance groundbreaking legislation that would make denying Israel's right to exist a criminal offense punishable by up to five years in prison, JNS reports. The vote on the bill took place on Friday.
The bill, which now moves to the lower house (Bundestag) for consideration following the parliamentary summer recess, comes amid a dramatic 83% surge in antisemitic incidents across Germany since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel.
Originally introduced by the western state of Hesse, the proposed legal amendment would impose fines or prison sentences reaching up to five years for individuals who publicly reject Israel's statehood or advocate for its destruction in ways that promote "a willingness to commit acts of antisemitic violence or arbitrary acts."
The measure has ignited a fierce national debate, with opponents contending that the statute imperils constitutional protections guaranteeing freedom of expression under Germany’s Basic Law.
Supporters, including the German Justice Minister, Israeli diplomats, and leadership within the German Jewish community, frame the law as an essential mechanism to combat the sharp rise in antisemitism nationwide.
Israeli Ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor praised the parliamentary milestone on Friday.
“The signal is clear: Those who deny Israel’s right to exist and spread antisemitic incitement will not get away with it unpunished," he wrote on social media. “I fervently hope that the German Bundestag will take up the decision and promptly enact the necessary amendment to the Criminal Code."
The lower house is expected to evaluate and debate the proposed Criminal Code revisions in the coming months.
Findings released last month found that antisemitic hostility in Germany climbed to an unprecedented peak in 2025, reaching a total of 8,725 logged offenses.
The 2025 data reflects an escalation of 98 occurrences compared to the prior year's tally, comprising 257 cases of overt threats and 178 physical assaults. By comparison, the baseline of anti-Jewish behavior stood at a significantly lower ,2,480 instances in 2022.