The German Greens believe they can reconcile their support for Israel with a call for a partial embargo on arms shipments and a ceasefire in Gaza, their co-chairman, Felix Banaszak, told Euractiv.
« It’s not a paradox to defend Israel’s right to defend itself while calling for a ceasefire and a partial embargo in Gaza, » he said. « I think differentiation is not a mistake, it’s a strength. »
It’s a delicate balance for the German Greens, the most powerful European green party, and potentially a direct threat to their declining political position.
The party wishes to remain a « responsible » centrist force, even though voters pushed it into opposition in the February national elections, Banaszak said. Supporting Israel – and avoiding any openly critical position – remains a pillar of German centrist parties, rooted in the country’s historical responsibility for the Holocaust.
While German public opinion has shifted regarding Israel’s military response to Gaza following the October 7 Hamas attack, tougher measures, such as calling for an arms embargo, remain largely taboo.
More than other parties, the Greens must adapt their position on Gaza. They also see themselves as supporters of marginalized Muslim and migrant communities, some of whom feel marginalized by the strong pro-Israeli orientation of public debate.
In the national elections, 29% of German Muslims voted for the left-wing socialist party, which called for a total arms embargo against Israel. The Greens only received 4% of Muslim votes (11% overall), according to data from the Forschungsgruppe Wahlen polling institute.
Embargo or not embargo
The party is in trouble after its move to government, which has seen it hover around 11% in the polls, down from a peak of nearly 30% before the 2021 elections.
« We don’t have a lot of support right now, » said Banaszak, adding that green and progressive movements were « on the defensive » everywhere in Europe.
In this context, declining popularity among part of the migrant community is not an asset.
In May, the Greens found a compromise on Gaza: « there must be an embargo on weapons that can and will be deployed in Gaza, » said Banaszak.
« But it’s necessary that Israel is able to defend itself against attacks from the Iranian regime and its proxies in the region, » he added.
The escalation of the conflict between Israel and Iran is a good example of this.
Again, Banaszak adopted a cautious stance, reaffirming Israel’s right to self-defense and emphasizing that Iran’s nuclear proliferation « threatens the existence and security » of the country.
But, he added, « the long-term containment of the Iranian nuclear program can only be achieved through diplomatic means. »
Compromise in Brussels
The cautious position of the German Greens puts them at odds with more pro-Palestinian rhetoric within the wider Green European family, which also has a lot to lose from the weakness of its main member.
On the issue of Israel, « Germany, Austria and the Baltic countries have a different starting point from the rest of the group, » said a source within the Green group.
