For the first time, Germany failed to secure enough support for one of the ten rotating seats on the United Nations Security Council. The outcome has been widely interpreted as a significant diplomatic setback and a consequence of Berlin’s unwavering support for Israel’s war on Gaza and its broader colonial project.
The defeat has also highlighted Germany’s growing international isolation, a trend that could eventually carry serious political consequences within Europe itself.
A Foreign Policy Defined by Support for Israel
One of the defining features of German foreign policy has long been its steadfast support for Israel, which Berlin regards as the legitimate representative of the Jewish community. This commitment extends beyond defending Israel’s right to exist and, according to critics, includes political backing for Israel’s apartheid system in the occupied West Bank and its military campaign in Gaza.
The contrast became particularly evident after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Germany strongly condemned Moscow for violating international law and moved quickly to defend Ukrainian sovereignty. In Gaza, however, Berlin aligned itself with the occupying power rather than the occupied, exposing what many view as a clear double standard.
To understand this position, it is necessary to examine the historical development of German Israeli relations.
The Historical Foundations of the Alliance
In 1952, West Germany committed to providing Israel with substantial economic assistance over a twelve year period, amounting to the equivalent of approximately US$9 billion at current exchange rates. The payments were presented as reparations for Germany’s responsibility for the Holocaust.
Those financial commitments helped make Bonn Israel’s largest trading partner during the state’s early years, surpassing both France and the United States.
The relationship entered a new phase after the 1956 Suez War, when West Germany agreed to supply Israel with advanced military assistance, including tanks, helicopters and various weapons systems, intended to strengthen Israel against the regional alliance led by Egypt and Syria.
The arrangement remained secret for years to avoid provoking retaliation from oil producing Arab states.
In 1965, the two countries established full diplomatic relations, prompting most Arab states to sever ties with Bonn.
Following German reunification, support for Israel evolved into what Chancellor Angela Merkel described in 2008 as part of Germany’s reason of state, elevating Israel’s security to a fundamental national interest.
Successive mainstream political parties, including sections of the far right, have since embraced the principle that Israel’s security must be guaranteed against external threats.
Critics argue, however, that this doctrine overlooks Israel’s position as an occupying power and ignores the destabilising impact of its policies, including attempts to expand control between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea at the expense of Palestinian national rights.
Germany’s Response After 7 October
Following the events of 7 October, senior German leaders travelled to Israel to express solidarity and reaffirm what they described as Israel’s right to defend itself.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz invoked Germany’s historical responsibility towards Israel to justify Berlin’s unconditional support for Israel’s military campaign against Hamas.
Critics argue that the German government remained silent while civilian infrastructure was systematically destroyed and approximately two million Palestinians were forcibly displaced.
Berlin also declined to condemn Israel’s restrictions on food, water and medical supplies entering Gaza, measures widely described as collective punishment prohibited under the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
On 7 November 2024, the German parliament adopted a resolution titled Never Again, equating criticism of Israel or Zionism with antisemitism.
The resolution paved the way for restrictions on demonstrations supporting Palestine, as well as the cancellation of conferences and public events addressing developments in the Middle East.
According to critics, Germany has increasingly criminalised voices condemning apartheid in the occupied West Bank and what they describe as genocide in Gaza.
They argue that Berlin’s political framework portrays Jewish people as perpetual victims while making it difficult to acknowledge that Palestinians can themselves be victims of systematic violence.
Some observers further contend that historical antisemitism has, in contemporary Germany, been replaced by widespread Islamophobia.
Diplomatic Protection for Israel
Germany’s support for Israel has extended well beyond its domestic policies.
When South Africa filed its genocide case against Israel before the International Court of Justice in December 2023, Germany announced it would intervene in support of Israel.
At the United Nations General Assembly, Berlin also voted against several resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
In January 2024, Germany suspended its funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), despite the agency’s central humanitarian role during the war.
Within the European Union, Berlin repeatedly blocked proposals to impose sanctions on Israel over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the conflict in Gaza.
When Spain, Ireland and Slovenia called in February 2024 for the suspension of the EU Israel Association Agreement because of Israel’s repeated human rights violations, Germany opposed the initiative.
Berlin also blocked sanctions against Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir despite international criticism of their public statements advocating forced displacement and harsh measures against Palestinians.
Arms Exports and Mounting Criticism
Critics argue that Germany has become a direct partner in Israel’s military campaign by serving as Israel’s second largest arms supplier after the United States.
According to the figures cited, Germany supplied approximately 30 per cent of the weapons used during Israel’s military operations in Gaza, where at least 73,000 Palestinians, including around 22,000 children, are reported to have been killed.
Over the past two decades, Germany has exported approximately US$3.6 billion worth of weapons to Israel.
This military support continued even after an independent United Nations commission concluded in September 2024 that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza.
Growing public pressure eventually forced Berlin to partially adjust its position.
A YouGov poll conducted in September 2025 found that two thirds of Germans believed Israel was committing genocide in Gaza, prompting the government to suspend arms exports for three months.
However, those exports resumed following the ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump.
Despite repeated Israeli violations of the ceasefire, which reportedly resulted in more than 1,000 deaths over the following seven months, Germany continued supplying weapons to Israel.
According to critics, Berlin has consistently prioritised what it describes as its national interest and historical responsibility towards Israel over its obligations under international law and human rights principles.
A Growing Divide Within Europe
While Germany maintained its support for Israel, Spain moved in the opposite direction.
Madrid severed diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv, imposed an arms embargo and prohibited trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
For many observers, Spain’s actions demonstrate that European states are not required to remain passive in the face of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, and that accountability for Israeli officials accused of systematic crimes against the Palestinian people should remain firmly on the international agenda.
