The federal government generally does not comment on upcoming elections in other countries. Foreign Office spokesman Martin Giese remains tight-lipped when it comes to questions about the Knesset election. "The Israelis have to decide on that and not us," he said on Monday in response to questions from journalists. Israel is a very close partner - and will remain so.
It is no secret that German politicians are at odds with the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - for example with its actions in the Gaza Strip, where the war is still not completely over, and with its settlement policy in the occupied West Bank.
Wadephul warns of further escalation
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul repeatedly warns of further escalation - most recently last week. According to the Israeli army, two soldiers were killed and several injured in an attack by armed Palestinians near the city of Hebron. Israel responded with a major military operation - around 3,000 Palestinians were driven from their homes, according to the Hebron municipality.
The CDU politician condemned the attack on the soldiers and at the same time warned that "Israel is clearly obliged under international law to also preserve and protect the rights of the Palestinians." These obligations must be consistently met.
Left calls for more pressure on Israel
The federal government should not stand still when it comes to critical words, regardless of who is in power in Israel, warns the opposition in the Bundestag. The warning words must also be followed by actions, "even if it is painful," says Lea Reisner from the Left Party. Even if Netanyahu were actually voted out, more pressure would have to be put on Israel.
The Left Party has long been calling for a tougher course because of the war in Gaza and the violence in the West Bank: it wants to stop arms deliveries to Israel, recognize Palestine as a state, and suspend the EU association agreement with Israel. Germany should at least finally join in with European initiatives, demands Reisner in the ARD capital studio.
The federal government is seen as a brake on the EU
But while other European countries have long since taken a tougher course against Israel, the federal government remains cautious - often with reference to Germany's historical responsibility towards Israel. In the EU, Berlin has been seen as a brake on things for months - for example with sanctions against right-wing extremist ministers in the Netanyahu government or with import stops for products from Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The Greens also believe that German reticence is wrong. “We finally need clear signs and signals from Europe,” says Green Party leader Franziska Branter to the ARD capital studio. “The federal government should no longer block this.” Because the violent settlers in the West Bank will not disappear with the elections, "that's why sanctions will continue to be necessary, regardless of the outcome of the elections," says Brantner.
Hope for a “centre government”
There are also voices in the SPD who advocate a change of course in Germany's Israel policy. Others in the black-red coalition hope that the Knesset election will initially lead to a change of government in Tel Aviv, thereby opening up new leeway.
Jürgen Hardt, foreign policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, is counting on an Israeli leadership that is no longer dependent on right-wing extremists and radical settler forces: "Such a centrist government would actually open up a new path for a new policy towards the Palestinians, for a new policy in the occupied territories and perhaps also for a new policy with a view to Gaza and Lebanon."
Challenges remain
But the outcome of the election is uncertain and forming a government will be difficult. A new government without Netanyahu could perhaps curb the violence in the West Bank somewhat, perhaps accept steps to improve the situation in the Gaza Strip. But a radical change, even a peace agreement?
Netanyahu's strongest rival, Gadi Eisenkot, also rejects a Palestinian state of his own. But the federal government continues to stick to a two-state solution - there are currently no other solutions, say German foreign politicians in unison. The challenges for German Israel policy will not diminish even after the Knesset election.
