Outlook on German-Israeli Relations

The current Spotlight explores different inter­pretations of Germany’s Staats­raison – or raison d’état – which emphasize Germany’s commit­ment to defending Israel’s national security. This component has played a crucial role in German-Israeli relations to date. The recent attempts (January–June 2023) by Benjamin Netan­yahu’s right-wing govern­ment to over­haul the Supreme Court have left Israeli society facing extreme tension and have shaken the country’s sense of national unity. Since 1965 and especially in the post Cold War period, German Staats­raison has meant defending Israel’s security  – but with the assault on Israel’s democracy, can it continue with the same purpose in the future? This Spotlight discusses how this develop­ment might impact German-Israeli relations.