Seminar – A Complicated Relationship: Israelis livings in Berlin

1. Attitudes of Israelis towards Germany and vice versa Seminar – A Complicated Relationship: Israelis livings in Berlin March 31st 2016 Dr. Roby Nathanson

2. Research The Source of the data to be presented: • “Germany and Israel Today – United by the Past, Divided by the Present?”, 2015. • “All of the Above: Identity Paradoxes of Young People in Israel”, 2010. Prior related research: • Israeli Youth Surveys conducted in 1998, 2004 and 2010. • Surveys of the German public positions since 2000.

3. Nation and Identity • National pride runs high among the Israeli Jews. • Given intensifying international criticism, the high levels of patriotism in the Israeli self-image may be fuelled partly by defensiveness and even fear that the legitimacy of Israel is in question. • In Germany, while national and cultural identity is clearly important, it is considered wrong in the post-war environment to be openly demonstrative about national pride.

4. Introduction • During the fifty years of German-Israeli diplomatic relations, the two countries have intensified their political and economic ties and drawn closer together in a wide variety of social sphere. • The memory of the Holocaust has greatly affected the political culture of German and Israeli society. • As a consequence of Germany’s responsibility for the Holocaust, the country’s commitment to Israel’s right to existence and to bearing joint responsibility for its security ranks among the seemingly unshakable cornerstones of German foreign policy.

5. “Being Israeli / German is an important part of my identity”, 2013

6. History and the Holocaust • In Israel, there is a clear and strong majority in favour of active remembrance of the Holocaust. • In general, there is a strong emphasis in Israeli society that, following the Holocaust, the state is deemed the only possible means of guaranteeing survival. • In Germany, the persecution of Jews is viewed as a dark chapter in German history, but not as an essential part of its identity. Germans would prefer to view it as an anomaly.

7. “Today, almost 70 years after the end of World War II, we should no longer talk so much about the persecution of the Jews, but finally put the past behind us”

8. Israeli-German relations today • Bilateral relations remain marked and are therefore perceived as special despite growing indifference and calls for the normalization of relations. • The findings indicate a degree of disconnect between the way Israeli-German relations are perceived by Israelis and Germans. • Traditional anti-Semitism continues to exist in latent form and comes to the surface from time to time.

9. “In general, what is your opinion of Germany / Israel today?”

10. “In your opinion , which side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict does the German government support?”

11. Attitudes of Israeli Youth towards Germany and the Holocaust Level of personal interest in the Holocaust, Jews

12. Attitudes of Israeli Youth towards Germany and the Holocaust Germany is one of the countries that are friendly toward Israel

13. Attitudes of Israeli Youth towards Germany and the Holocaust Today's Germany is one of the civilized democracies

14. Attitudes of Israeli Youth towards Germany and the Holocaust The intensity of hatred of foreigners (xenophobia) in Germany is similar to the xenophobia that exists in other countries

15. Attitudes of Israeli Youth towards Germany and the Holocaust Level of agreement with the claim that today's Germany is different than Germany of the past

16. Attitudes of Israeli Youth towards Germany and the Holocaust Level of disagreement with the claim that the Holocaust was supported by most of the German nation

17. Conclusions • Despite the events of the past, Israelis have a more positive view of the German government and the German state than the German have of Israel and its administration. • The relationship between Germans and Israeli Jews is prone to massive disruption despite the impression of stability.

18. Thank You!