Anniversary : Bundestag honors the 75th anniversary of the founding of Israel

On the 75th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, a large majority of the Bundestag committed itself to the Jewish state’s right to exist and to the fight against anti-Semitism in Germany.

Speakers from all factions congratulated Israel in a debate on the anniversary – in the presence of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the Israeli Ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, who had taken their seats in the VIP gallery. Against the background of the threat to Israel from Iran, several speakers emphasized the country’s right to self-defense.

The State of Israel was proclaimed on May 14, 1948. State founder David Ben-Gurion read the Declaration of Independence in Tel Aviv. Israel celebrates its anniversary according to the Hebrew calendar and therefore earlier this year. For Germany, given the murder of six million Jews by Nazi Germany, Israel’s security is a matter of state.

“The security of Israel is a German reason of state”

Green parliamentary group leader Katharina Dröge said in a so-called agreed debate that after the Shoah it was not a matter of course that Israel shook hands with Germany. From this, German responsibility grows “forever”: “The security of Israel is a German reason of state.” With a view to the AfD, she added that the Bundestag must also object if representatives of this party raved about the need to draw a line under German history. “I’ll tell you very clearly: nothing is more wrong and nothing is more dangerous.”

Union faction leader Friedrich Merz called Israel’s right to exist and security “an unbreakable and indispensable core component of the policy of the Federal Republic of Germany and all of our state institutions”. Nevertheless, one looks with concern at Israeli domestic politics, where fundamental social debates are being held about the identity of the state and the separation of powers. From his point of view, however, this is “not a weakness of the system, but an expression of the strength of Israeli democracy”.

Two-state solution a long way off

The deputy leader of the SPD parliamentary group, Gabriela Heinrich, called anti-Semitism in Germany intolerable. It is the job of politicians to ensure that Jews can feel safe here. Heinrich, who heads the German-Israeli parliamentary group, called Israel a vibrant democracy with a strong civil society. But one also speaks of the construction of settlements in the Palestinian territories, which violates international law – the suffering on both sides is great. She regretted that a two-state solution as the basis for a lasting peace seemed a long way off.

FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr also said with regard to Iran, which constantly threatens Israel, that Germany is one of Israel’s closest allies, also militarily. At the same time, he emphasized: “We always bear lasting responsibility in the fight against anti-Semitism.” Nobody should evade that, said Dürr, also with a view to the AfD. FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai later called Iran the greatest threat to Israel. It is not only in the interest of the people in Iran and Israel, but also in Europe and the western world, “that this mullah regime disappears and ends up on the rubbish heap of history.” Djir-Sarai was born in Iran.

Matthias Moosdorf (AfD) spoke of a great shared responsibility in view of the anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel. The Jews would look back on 3000 years of history, the Europeans would look ahead. Both views could complement each other. “What a great task, what a win for humanity. Congratulations,” he said.

Left parliamentary group leader Dietmar Bartsch said that there should never be a line under German history and German crimes. The conflict over the construction of the settlements in Israel is making a two-state solution infinitely more difficult. The left stands with those in Israel who took to the streets for democracy and freedom.