Denying Israel’s right to exist could be made illegal in a German state under proposals to bring in a new set of laws to protect the Jewish community.
The state of Hesse announced the initiative, which it hopes could pass into law on May 8 – the anniversary of VE Day.
If passed, it would criminalise denying the Jewish state’s right with a penalty of up to five years in prison.
It would also make pro-Palestine slogans such as “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, and “there is only one state, Palestine ‘48” illegal, as well as crossing out an Israeli flag on a map or putting one in a bin would also be deemed offences.
Boris Rhein, the state’s minister-president, said: “It is unbearable that slogans are being shouted that we never thought would ever be uttered on German streets again.”
The local Jewish community has welcomed the proposal, saying it is “long overdue”, according to the Telegraph.
However, Meron Mendel, the director of the Anne Frank Educational Centre in Frankfurt, warned that the law could actually lead to an increase antisemitism and that it would be impossible to implement, stating that some strictly-Orthodox Jews define themselves as anti-Zionist for theological reasons and so could fall under its purview.
But, for Rhein, protecting Israel isn’t only about combatting Jew hatred in the country but is also inherent to modern post-Nazi German foreign policy.
He said: “The protection of Jewish life is more than just a declaration; it is Germany’s Staatsräson [reason of state].”
This is a key tenet of German national foreign policy, which defines Israel’s security as a key interest as a result of the atrocities of the Holocaust.
As such, Berlin is seen as a significant European ally on an increasingly anti-Israel continent.
This was evident earlier in the year when Rafael, Israel’s state-owned defence group, reportedly chose Germany for manufacturing outsourcing because, according to the Financial Times, it believes the country is one of Israel’s strongest allies in the region.
Germany also provides Israel with about a third of its weapon imports.
To get more news, click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter.