Several western countries have now decided to recognize Palestine as a state. Germany continues to deny it. The pressure on Berlin is growing. On Monday, at the United Nations General Assembly, France, Canada and Belgium intend to recognize Palestine as a state and the United Kingdom will probably follow their example. Portugal has announced that it will already do so on Sunday. Their aim is to put pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza and launch a new peace process.

Nearly 150 of the 193 UN members have already recognized Palestine and France, the United Kingdom and Canada, the Great Powers of the G7, the group of seven major Western industrial countries, are ready to follow them.

The United States, on the other hand, is categorically rejecting recognition and Israel does itself. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees a recognition as a “reward for terrorism” of radical Islamist Hamas.

For the Palestinian Authority, the recognition of state by such important states would be a profit, give them prestige and constitute a diplomatic defeat for Israel, especially now in the escalating conflict in Gaza.

Unrealistic ‘prerequisite’ for solving two states

However, the German government in Berlin will not take this step “in the short term”, as it is officially stated. “We will not participate in this initiative,” said Chancellor Friedrich Mertz of the CDU Conservative Party in August during a visit by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

“At the moment we do not consider that the conditions for state recognition are fully fulfilled.” Recognition, he said, must be the final step in a peace process that leads to a two -state solution.

The problem: A two -state solution is nowhere to be seen. Since Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 and the subsequent Israeli military action in the Gaza Strip, which continues, the chances of this is virtually zero. Critics, therefore, believe that the German government is simply making this unrealistic prerequisite for recognition in order to avoid a decision.

Friedrich Mertz’s tears

The German government is in a special dilemma about Israel/Palestine: In the light of millions of Jews who were murdered during the Nazi era, it feels particularly responsible for Israel’s security and has even described it as a “state check”.

For the Chancellor these are obviously more than just words.

In a speech during the reopening of a synagogue that was destroyed by the Nazis in Munich a few days ago, Mertz tried to contain his tears by saying: “From October 7th, we are experiencing – you are experiencing – a new wave of anti -Semitism, in Public spaces. ” This put him in a difficult position, said Mertz, who was clearly struggling to maintain his temper and declared the “war” in every form of anti -Semitism in Germany.

However, the Chancellor separates the fight against anti -Semitism from his evaluation of Israel’s policies and, above all, Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip.

At a ceremony for the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Central Jewish Council in Germany, Mertz said: “Criticism in Israeli government policies should be possible. It can even be necessary. Disagreement on the subject is not a betrayal in our friendship. “

Pressure from inside and outside

However, the pressure on the German government to adopt a tougher stance is increasing. It comes, for example, from the European Union. EU High Representative Kaya Calla requires Germany to participate in sanctions against Israel. EU Committee President Ursula von der Laien proposes to the EU to suspend the trade benefits to Israel.

Internally, the pressure also increases. Social Democrats in the coalition government can certainly imagine sanctions. The Green opposition party is going further. His co -chair, Franciska Brandner, told the German News Agency that Mertz and Foreign Minister Johann Vaddoful (also CDU) should decide: “They are in force with the forces committed to peace for all peoples in Israel? Or do they remain idle as an Israeli government, part of which is far -right, continues to sow deceit in Gaza, and the perspective of peace and release of hostages is becoming more and more remote? “

An alliance of dozens of civil society organizations also calls on the German government to continue its criticism of Israel by action.

The majority in Germany in favor of recognition

However, state recognition of Palestine is a different issue. And the Chancellor seems to take a steady stance on this issue, although it apparently has the majority of the German population against it. In any case, in a study by the Forsa Institute in early August, 54% of respondents were in favor of recognition, while 31% against.

In the meantime, the opposition to the UN shrinks. If Germany’s close allies, such as France, the United Kingdom and Canada, now change camp, Berlin will be under even more pressure. The United States, in particular, remains on the side of Germany – which does not necessarily facilitate things for the German government diplomatically, given the controversial President Donald Trump.

Curated by: Costas Argyros