Even 70 years after the end of the Second World War, the Holocaust seems to still influence the Middle East Conflict. The Nazi genocide of the Jews has a continuously but different effect as a historic trauma on both conflict parties.
In HSFK-Standpunkt 6/2011 "Frieden für Israel und Palästina. Deutsche Nahost-Politik im Schatten der "Vergangenheit""Gert Krell analyzes whether and to what extent the holocaust has been the cause for the Middle East Conflict and what that would imply for Germany's Middle East policy. Does German have a moral obligation to always be on Israel's side?
Krell traces the history of the Middle East Conflict and evaluates the influence of Germany, the United Nations, Great Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union on that conflict. In addition, he makes recommendations how a responsible German policy towards Israel that would help to make way for peace in Israel and Palestine should be shaped.
Dr Gert Krell is professor emeritus for International Politics at Goethe-University Frankfurt/Main. At PRIF, he has been a research fellow from 1971-1977 and head of a research group from 1981-1995.
This Standpunkt issue is available as free download (PDF file).