Benjamin Netanjahu and Olaf Scholz attend a memorial event commemorating deportation of Jews
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attend a memorial event commemorating deportation of Jews during World War II at the Plattform 17 Memorial at Grunewald railway station in Berlin, Germany, 16 March 2023. | Photo: © picture alliance / EPA | Filip Singer.

Outlook on German-Israeli Relations: German Staatsraison and Netanyahu‘s Coalition Contentious ‚Judicial Reform‘

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.

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