Gütersloh – May 09, 2025. Despite the historic connection and official friendship between Germany and Israel, a new survey conducted by the Bertelsmann Stiftung to mark the 60th anniversary of German-Israeli diplomatic relations shows that perceptions in each country of the other are drifting apart. While 60 percent of Israelis have a positive or very positive opinion of Germany, only 36 percent of people in Germany view Israel positively, and 38 percent view it negatively. This represents a notable change from the last survey in 2021, when 46 percent of Germans had a positive opinion of Israel.
This development is also reflected in feelings about the countries’ governments, with almost 60 percent of Germans having a negative opinion of the current Israeli government, but only 17 percent of Israelis saying they view the German government unfavorably.
The survey also shows that considerable differences exist when it comes to Germany’s historical responsibility. In Israel, 64 percent of respondents see Germany as having a special obligation – both for the Jewish people and for the state of Israel. In Germany, conversely, only around a third of the respondents say a responsibility exists towards the Jewish people, and only a quarter recognize a special responsibility towards the state of Israel.
Nevertheless, the memory of the Shoah remains an important part of the public consciousness, with 48 percent of Germans agreeing that commemorating the Holocaust should continue to play a role in current and future politics – five percentage points more than in 2021. At the same time, the share of those who would like to leave the past behind has fallen slightly, by four percentage points, to 45 percent.
The findings on the prevalence of anti-Semitic attitudes in Germany are a cause for concern. Traditional anti-Semitism – measured by agreement with the statement that “Jews have too much influence in the world” – has reached its highest level in years, at 27 percent. One striking aspect is the increase among young men under the age of 40, 36 percent of whom agree with the statement. Israel-related anti-Semitism has also increased significantly, with 29 percent of respondents saying they dislike Jews more because of Israeli politics (2021: 21 percent). Here, too, agreement among those under 40 rose sharply, from 14 to 28 percent.
Education plays a key role here: Respondents with a lower level of education are significantly more likely to agree with both traditional and Israel-related anti-Semitic statements. “Anti-Semitism is not a marginal phenomenon in Germany, but can be found among various social groups and political camps,” says Stephan Vopel, Israel expert at the Bertelsmann Stiftung. “The rise in anti-Semitic attitudes among young people is particularly alarming, since levels for that cohort are now approaching those for the other age groups. The boundaries between ‘false’ criticism of Israel and Israel-related anti-Semitism are at times blurred. It is therefore important both to promote political education and to recognize and resolutely combat anti-Semitism in all its forms.”
Respondents in both countries view the type and extent of cooperation between Germany and Israel very differently: While 40 percent of German respondents feel current cooperative efforts are sufficient and only 24 percent would like greater cooperation, 68 percent of Israeli respondents are in favor of intensifying bilateral relations. Respondents in both countries feel that political cooperation between their governments is particularly important. In addition, while Israelis put an emphasis on military and economic cooperation, Germans place greater value on exchange in the areas of science, research and civil society.
According to the Bertelsmann Stiftung, the survey’s findings show that relations between Germany and Israel are extremely complex and must therefore be shaped, more than ever before, in an objective and considered manner. The following priorities should be pursued based on shared democratic values and historical responsibility:
- Demonstrate critical solidarity with Israel: For Germany, Israel’s right to exist and its security should remain an immutable fact. At the same time, genuine partnership requires the ability to provide open, critical support.
- Expand civil society exchange: Direct interactions and cooperation in education, science and culture create mutual understanding and trust.
- Promote a clear European policy for the Middle East: Germany should advocate for a policy towards Israel and Palestine that is based on international and human rights and that is also realistic in terms of security.
“The much-vaunted idea that Israel’s security is part of Germany’s raison d’état must be expressed in practical terms through an attitude of critical solidarity,” Stephan Vopel says. “That means Israel’s right to exist and its security are non-negotiable. At the same time, this cannot mean remaining silent when there are questionable developments in Israeli domestic or foreign policy. Where a deep connection exists, there necessarily arises the duty to provide critical support.”
In a separate political development, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has filed a lawsuit against the German domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), which recently labeled the far-right party as "confirmed right-wing extremist." On Thursday, May 08, 2025, the BfV complied with the AfD's request to follow a so-called "standstill commitment." This means that the agency is putting its official reclassification of the AfD as a right-wing extremist party on hold.
AfD leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla celebrated the news as a success. The party stated, "This is a first important step towards our exoneration and towards countering the accusation of right-wing extremism," on social media. However, a fact check by DW confirmed that the classification "confirmed right-wing extremist" was not withdrawn.
The AfD, which increased its number of seats to 152 (out of 630) in the last German election, applied to the court to issue an injunction order if the BfV were to reject the "standstill" order. Both instruments are legal tools that can be used by plaintiffs to ensure that an authority must pause measures that the plaintiff considers unlawful.
Markus Ogorek, director of the Institute for Public Law and Administrative Theory at Cologne University, explained that the Federal Office has now preempted the issuance of such an injunction by issuing the 'standstill' order. This means that the Federal Office will refrain from designating the AfD as a "confirmed right-wing extremist" party and will not treat it as such until the proceedings have been concluded.
Michael Ott, presiding judge and press spokesman at the Administrative Court of Cologne, clarified that the Federal Office considers its classification to be correct, but has only suspended the designation to give the court time to carry out a proper review. This would give the responsible judges time to work through the over 1,000-page report, he said.
Prior to this, the German media had reported widely on the proceedings. In 2024, a Münster Higher Administrative Court ruled in appeal proceedings that the BfV was allowed to monitor the AfD as a "suspected case."
Ogorek noted, "The fact that the AfD or the AfD's legal representatives are interpreting this 'standstill' promise as if it were the first partial success in the proceedings must be firmly contradicted. This is everyday administrative procedural business, so to speak. It's got nothing to do with the prospects of success."
As the political landscape continues to evolve in Germany, the implications of these developments on both German-Israeli relations and domestic far-right politics will be closely watched.
