German-Israeli Relations: Expectations Meet Reality

In 2020 Israel and Germany will mark the 55th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations. INSS research associate Adi Kantor and Dr. Peter Lintl, researcher at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin, discuss the current state of affairs between the two countries. What were the expectations in the past, and how have they met the changing reality? Why are there growing disappointments? To what extent do younger generations in Germany and Israel today truly understand the importance of the relations between them? Where do the difficulties lie, and what is needed in order to improve our dialogue when looking ahead? How does the return of anti-Semitism to mainstream political and social discourse in Germany affect the relations, and how much are the two countries still haunted by the trauma of the Holocaust? What is the impact of intergenerational transmission of trauma in the family, as well as transmission of silence and denial of the crimes even today? These and other issues are explored in this podcast.