Israeli Ambassador Condemns Far-Right Minister's Nazi-Referenced Attack on German Chancellor
Israel's ambassador to Germany has issued a rare public rebuke of a senior Israeli official, condemning Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's historically charged verbal assault against German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Ambassador Ron Prosor described Smotrich's tirade as eroding the memory of the Holocaust and presenting it in a completely distorted manner.
Diplomatic Tensions Escalate Over West Bank Policy
The diplomatic row erupted after Chancellor Merz raised objections to Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank during telephone discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Merz's office released a statement expressing deep concern about developments in Palestinian territories and warning against what he termed a "de facto annexation" of the West Bank.
In response, Smotrich invoked the Nazi regime's persecution of Jews during World War II, stating on social media platform X: "Mr Chancellor, the days when Germans dictated to Jews where they were permitted or forbidden to live are over and shall not return. You will not force us into ghettos again, certainly not in our own land."
Ambassador's Unprecedented Condemnation
Ambassador Prosor, in an interview with Kan public radio, stated he wished to "unequivocally condemn" Smotrich's remarks. "It is possible and completely legitimate to argue with the Germans, especially on this day, which is very emotional," Prosor acknowledged, referencing Holocaust Remembrance Day. "But Merz is a great friend of Israel. Germany has proven, especially with all the criticism against Israel in Europe, that it is our number one friend."
The ambassador emphasized that while political disagreements between the nations exist, Smotrich's approach crossed a dangerous line by weaponizing Holocaust memory for political purposes.
Broader Context of German-Israeli Relations
Germany considers Israel's security as integral to its Staatsräson, or bedrock national policy, rooted in historical responsibility following the Holocaust. However, tensions have been mounting as Israeli officials increasingly bristle at even cautious criticism from Berlin regarding Palestinian policies.
Last August, Merz faced criticism from Netanyahu's government and members of his own conservative CDU party when he announced Germany would halt exports of military equipment that could be used in Gaza due to humanitarian concerns. Germany has consistently condemned Israel's expanding settlement activity in the West Bank and recently urged Israel to halt a sprawling construction project championed by Smotrich.
Recent Diplomatic Clashes
Last month, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar berated Germany's ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, over his opposition to deepening Israeli control in the West Bank, accusing the envoy of an "obsession" with Jewish settlers. Seibert had previously spoken of parallel realities of violence, referencing both Israeli casualties from Hezbollah fire and violent settler rampages in Palestinian villages.
Mairav Zonszein, a senior analyst on Israel at the International Crisis Group, noted that the Israeli government has repeatedly targeted Germany "for invoking the basic human rights of Palestinians," even at the expense of alienating their strongest European ally. Zonszein called on Berlin to reassess its approach to the Netanyahu administration in light of the open conflict.
The current dispute represents the latest clash between Berlin, traditionally viewed as Israel's closest European ally, and Netanyahu's government over its approach to Palestinian territories, testing the foundations of a relationship built on historical reconciliation and shared security interests.
