Publication
Omar Shaban Ismail · PalThink for Strategic Studies · 2022
A research paper tracing how Germany's post-WWII guilt, non-intervention doctrine, and unconditional support for Israel shape its Middle East policy — and what that means for Palestinian-European relations.
A research paper tracing how Germany's post-WWII guilt, non-intervention doctrine, and unconditional support for Israel shape its Middle East policy — and…
DRAFT
In a search to understand the Germany's foreign policy in the Middle East
Omar Shaban
When the past decides the present and the future:
After more than 70 years, the repercussions of World War II are still clearly imprinting on German society, politically, socially, and culturally. The political and social position of Germany at both levels, internally and at the international level is burdened by the restrictions and legacy of the past, which made Germany to be very hesitant and apprehensive about putting forward ideas and initiatives related to political and security conflicts in the world, the most important of which is the Palestinian-Israeli question. The Nazi Germany, which fought World War II, occupied and destroyed dozens of cities in Europe, killed tens of millions of people, and committed the crime of the Holocaust, was defeated, destroyed, and divided at the end of the war. Germany, which was prevented from building a strong army, also decided not to intervene militarily in international conflicts, Germany, which did not intervene militarily in any international conflict and did not allocate huge budgets for military effort, achieved remarkable development and prosperity rates and became the fourth largest economy in the world despite its defeat and being destroyed destruction twice. In the early years of the last century (First World War 1914-1919) and the 2nd world war 1939-1945, which also enabled it to rebuild Germany in a very civilized and advanced way and restore industry and other economic sectors, as it enabled Germany well as to allocate significant budgets for international development, help poor countries and host millions of refugees from the Middle East in the past decade and from Turkey in the past decades ago and now from Ukraine. Which makes the proverb “May the harm that is beneficial” fully applicable.
Germany distinguished itself from other Western countries in that it recognized the dark past, where it lives under a huge burden of guilt. The German citizen and politician do not lose sight of the catastrophe that was committed in the past, with the need to work on making every effort to deal with its continuous repercussions from then until the present day. Germany has allocated huge budgets to develop an integrated system of laws, programmers, curricula, institutions, museums and cultural programs that explain and document what happened with an open mind and with great frankness. Although "guilt" is not inherited, but its repercussions are on the generations that were not involved in that past, they are responsible for facing the repercussions and results. It is a heavy legacy that is not easy to deal with and bear its burden.
Despite the defeat suffered by Germany in World War II, which ended with its division, the new leadership in German and the society itself have decided to reconcile with its dark history by recognizing it and not denying it, as is the case with other Western countries who have a bloody past of occupation and colonization in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
Germany documents and recognizes what happened through dozens of art and exhibitions, memorials, German laws and educational curricula, which explain all the bloody events committed by Nazi Germany in the years of World War II. Acknowledgment or responsibility of the past was clearly reflected in German foreign policy through 1) non-interference militarily in any international conflict and complete abstinence from sending German military forces abroad and 2) unconditional support for Israel, which is the state of the Jews who were subjected to the crime The Holocaust.
Unconditional German support for Israel:
One of the most important repercussions of the past is Germany's unconditional support to Israel. This unconditional support for Israel came from the recognition of the Holocaust that the Nazi regime committed in a systematic and organized manner against minorities in Germany in particular and Europe in general, as it claimed the lives of about 6 million people, most of them were Jews from Europe and other German citizens, people with special needs and other segments that the Reich considered them to be not equal to the German character specifications. The unconditional support of Germany to Israel can be understood within this context, but it does not mean turning a blind eye to supporting the Palestinian position that suffers from the policies of the Israeli occupation, and it does not mean absolutely not directing serious criticism to Israel for its occupation policies in the Palestinian territories. On the contrary, Germany's strong relationship with Israel in various fields is supposed to help end the state of conflict by providing advice, guidance and criticism if necessary, and acting as a peace mediator between Israel and the Palestinians. Therefore, the nature of German-Israeli relations on the one hand, and German relations - The Palestinians, on the other hand, force Germany to intervene to enhance the application of the international law and a political settlement. Without political advice and pressure on Israel, how can Israeli policies change, and for us to achieve a political settlement in compliance with the international legitimacy resolutions to which the Federal Republic of Germany is committed
Understanding the Germany position regarding the Palestinian issue:
I have been to Germany several times. These visits allowed me to dig deeper into the German culture, fears, and hopes. I get to know and to meet many institutions and researchers who deal with the past, in order to achieve community reconciliation and heal the wounds of the past. These institutions and programs work to inform the German and international community about what happened with very solid and clear principle: What happened cannot be repeated once." I get to learn that the situation in Germany is not what I and many have thought, it is not black or white, while the German people believe and acknowledge the catastrophe that occurred by their regime and army, there has been growing feeling and attitude among the German intellectuals and writers whom I interviewed for Germany about the "guilt complex" and the policy of Silence or hesitation towards the Palestinian cause, and their acknowledgment of the need to change that, and the common answer among them was: We must stop this." Especially since the Palestinians are the victims of the victims. Some positions of German intellectuals say that "without the Holocaust, the Palestinian Nakba wouldn’t have taken place, as the Palestinians are the victims of the victim. Certainly Germany did not mean that, but the occurrence of events in the era of World War II, especially the Holocaust, was a direct cause of the Palestinian Nakba. However, there is no logic in comparing what the Palestinian “Nakba” with the Holocaust, not only in terms of the scale of the disaster, but also in terms of context, while the Holocaust took place by an elected political and military regime against a segment of its people, the Palestinian Nakba occurred on the land of Palestine by the Jews who immigrated from Europe and the Middle East to the Palestinian land under the justification of the Promised Land. Furthermore, the hostility with Israel as an occupying power mustn’t be a reason to deny the Holocaust that occurred and represented a crime against humanity, the Palestinians have no guilt in that crime. It is necessary to deeply identify the determinants and foundations of culture and politics to build a rational Palestinian position toward Germany, it is also necessary to intensify the dialogue between the Palestinians and German sides to reach common ground, so that each side understands the fears and tendencies of the other side.
Germany and Palestinian aspirations
The policies and procedures adopted by the Israeli government on the ground fail the settlement and prevent the establishment of the Palestinian state, and contradict the concepts adopted by the European Union, including federal Germany in relations with Israel, and contradict the German concepts of political settlement adopted in its foreign policy. Nevertheless, German politics remains present and may continue in the future captive to the past, which prevents it from presenting visions and ideas that contribute to addressing the Palestinian issue and the effects of the Israeli occupation. It is not possible for the past to shape Germany's present and future. Knowing and studying the past is necessary to benefit from it and draw lessons that ensure that it will not be repeated, but without submitting to it and being defeated to it. With all this, we note a positive development in the German position in the past few years in terms of increasing criticism of Israel and showing greater understanding of the Palestinian suffering, but the German political, societal and media position still refuses to direct sharp criticism of Israeli policy in the Palestinian territories.
This may require Germany to overcome gradually the legacy of the past and to work actively toward better present and future. Here it is useful to recall the position of the African leader Nelson Mandela who suffered the years of detention by the apartheid regime in South Africa, after his release where he quickly realized that his painful memories in prison would control him and his behavior, but he had the strength and looked to the future, saying: "I will not let The past decides my future."
Finally, Germany has a lot to offer:-
Germany is a strong and key country, not only in Europe but also at the international arena, it enjoys a praiseworthy reputation in the Arab world in general, has distinguished contributions in supporting the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA and developing education and infrastructure in Palestine, and it enjoys distinguished relations with Israel, all of which makes it qualified to play an active role in ending Conflict and achieving peace and development.
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Topic: Palestinian-European Relations — Germany · foreign policy · Holocaust legacy · Israel · Palestine · Nakba · EU — Original source — PDF