Pro-Israel groups in Germany have reacted sharply to a unanimous Bundestag motion criticising Israel's blockade of Gaza.
Jerusalem Post, 8 July 2010
The resolution suggests a shift in Germany's approach to Israel, critics say.
The unanimous cross-party motion, passed last week, demands that Israel end its blockade of the Gaza Strip, while adding that weapons smuggling into Gaza and rocket attacks against Israel must be stopped as well.
Though the motion is symbolic since Israel already has eased the blockade following the ill-fated operation against a protest flotilla in May, it nevertheless suggests a change in the traditionally close German-Israel relationship, which has recently been strained by popular disaffection with Israeli policies.
It also comes at a time of increasing concern over antisemitism, with several violent incidents currently under investigation. Statistics show that antisemitism tends to spike during times of unrest in the Middle East.
