Germany and the Israeli Occupation: Torn Between Special Relationship and Two-State-Commitment

Abstract

Over time, Germany’s stance towards the Israeli occupation settlement construction has become more critical. This article will show that one reason for this shift lies in a widening gap between German public opinion and government policies. Accordingly, while the German population has become more critical towards the occupation over time, the German government has only responded to this trend with certain delay. At the same time, however, as a crucial historical context, Germany’s stance towards the occupation can only be understood if contextualized with the German special relationship with Israel. As this contribution will point out, the German government follows an interrelated strategy of Europeanization and legalization, which enables Germany to follow a critical stance towards Israel without questioning this special relationship. In this context, the article will not only deal with the German position on Israeli settlements and labelling but also with the different positions on a boycott of settlement products, also pointing to the shrinking spaces for an endorsement of a boycott.