On May 12, Germany and Israel marked 60 years of diplomatic ties. In the shadow of the Holocaust, Germany vowed to help secure a Jewish state. But as the memory of the genocide fades, its last survivors die, and new conflicts loom, relations between the two countries couldn’t be more precarious.

In his first interview as Germany’s new chancellor, Friedrich Merz told public broadcaster ard last week: “Israel is of the utmost concern to us. The new foreign minister will be traveling to Israel next weekend on my behalf. … We are currently preparing this trip together. But it must be clear that the Israeli government must also fulfill its obligations under international law, under the international law of war.”

Germany shows great solidarity with Israel. But it is also pressuring the Israeli government to end its war on Hamas and so-called settlement policies in the West Bank. Germany’s new foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, raised both issues during his visit to Israel.

While Israel decided it can only achieve its goals in Gaza militarily, Wadephul stated before leaving Israel: “It is imperative that we now enter into serious negotiations on a ceasefire with the aim of releasing all hostages and supplying the people in Gaza. The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip has now become unbearable.”

Wadephul didn’t visit Israel to support its current agenda; he pleaded to amend it.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gidon Saar bemoaned unilateral efforts to recognize a Palestinian state as a move that “will only harm future prospects for a bilateral process and will push us for unilateral actions in response.” Wadephul emphasized that a two-state solution was “the best chance for Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace, security and dignity.”

Instead of offering support in eradicating the terrorists, Germany wants Israel to end the fighting and allow more humanitarian aid, and it is even insisting on the creation of a Palestinian state—so soon after the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre of Jews. Israel fears a state would allow the terrorists to multiply. Germany claims the terrorists will cease once they have their own state, indirectly blaming Israel for causing genocidal maniacs to do horrific deeds.

Eighty years after the Holocaust and 60 years after entering diplomatic relations, Germany believes it can tell Israel how to fight its battles. Its support is becoming conditional.

While Israel views Germany as an ally, Germany sees Israel as the problem. This view is also reflected among the people.

What the People Think

To mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, the United States-based Anti-Defamation League published a report on global anti-Semitism. Euronews reported:

In Germany, anti-Semitic incidents increased by 75 percent between 2021 and 2023, in France by 185 percent, and in the [United Kingdom] by 82 percent. … Anti-Semitism has continued to rise in Germany on both political extremes. The violence fueled by the rhetoric of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has increased, as have attacks from Muslims and even from the middle of society who support freedom for Palestine.

Notice the last part of this quote. Jew hatred is rising partly because Palestinians who live under and often support Hamas terrorists are portrayed as freedom fighters. As a result, the “middle of society” increasingly sides with the terrorists.

An extensive survey conducted by the Bertelsmann Stiftung and published in Spiegel reveals additional shocking findings about sentiments in Germany and Israel. Only 36 percent of German citizens have a “very good or fairly good opinion” of Israel—10 percentage points less than in 2021. A majority of 59 percent have a negative opinion of the Israeli government—up from 43 percent in 2021.

In contrast, 60 percent of Israeli respondents have a “very good or fairly good opinion” of Germany—even though the last German government was seen as less favorable with only 42 percent of surveyed Israelis seeing it positively.

The survey also looked into the role the Holocaust plays in German-Israeli relations.

One question was whether the past should be left behind and a line drawn through it. In Israel, 62 percent of respondents oppose this idea, compared to just 32 percent in Germany. But 45 percent of Germans believe it is the right thing to do, while 20 percent are undecided—or perhaps reticent to answer.

Another question revolved around what role the memory of the Holocaust should play in German politics. While 48 percent of Germans believe it should play a role, only 1 in 3 respondents believe Germany has a special responsibility for the Jewish people, and only 1 in 4 emphasize a special responsibility toward Israel.

Spiegel commented: “The relatively high level of support for the significance of the Holocaust for today’s politics is in striking contrast to the responses to the question of whether Germany has a special responsibility for the Jewish people or the State of Israel.”

The perception in Israel is different: 64 percent of Israelis think Germany still has a special responsibility.

These are troubling indications that Germans are ready to abandon Israel while Israelis still count on their support. But there is more.

When asked if Jews contribute to the existence of anti-Semitism, 28 percent of Germans agreed. Spiegel wrote:

The findings on anti-Semitic attitudes in Germany are worrying. According to the survey, more than a third of Germans agreed with classic anti-Semitic formulations.

For example, 27 percent agreed with the statement that Jews have too much influence in the world (24 percent in 2021). The largest increase can be seen in the group of under 40-year-olds, where 28 percent agreed with the statement (twice as many as in 2021).

According to the survey, Israel-related anti-Semitism has also increased in Germany.

Four out of 10 (42 percent) believe that Israel is treating the Palestinians the same as the Nazis did the Jews. An astonishing 29 percent of Germans agree that Israeli policy has made them dislike Jews more.

After Hamas committed Nazi-like acts on Oct. 7, 2023, more Germans started hating Jews because of the media’s lies. The longer time goes on, the more World War ii-era hatred of Jews is rising.

“Anti-Semitism is not a marginal phenomenon in Germany, but can be seen in different social milieus and political camps,” noted Stephan Vopel, Israel expert at the Bertelsmann Stiftung.

It’s also noteworthy that the far right is more inclined to project its hatred for the State of Israel onto common Jews. While more left-wing supporters (53 percent) believe that Israel is treating the Palestinians like Germany treated Jews, only 23 percent believe the Israeli policy has made them dislike Jews more. Among AfD voters, the percentages were 43 and 37 percent respectively. “This indicates that the ‘Israel-critical’ discourse in parts of the left does not necessarily translate into a generalized rejection of Jews as a collective,” Vopel commented.

Hatred for Jews, hatred for the State of Israel, and hatred for the Israeli government are on the rise in Germany. At the same time, Israelis still see Germany as mostly positive. These surveys show a remarkable mirror image of Bible prophecy.

Betrayal Prophesied

An end-time prophecy in Hosea reveals Israel will trust Germany for help in its conflict. Hosea 5:13 reads: “When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.” Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry explains in his booklet Jerusalem in Prophecy:

Studying this verse in the original Hebrew reveals that both Ephraim (Britain) and Judah (called “Israel” today) go to Assyria (or Germany—to prove this fact, request our free booklet Germany and the Holy Roman Empire).

Why do the Jews go to Germany, and what is Judah’s wound? The word wound is number 4205 in Strong’s Concordance; it means “in the sense of binding up: a bandage, i.e. remedy ….” Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon defines it this way: “the pressing together, binding up of a wound; hence used figuratively of a remedy applied to the wounds of the state …” (emphasis mine throughout). In other words, the remedy is the wound!

Another word for wound is also mentioned in Obadiah 7: “All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him.” This wound is number 4204 in Strong’s. Gesenius’ Lexicon defines it as “falsehood; hence, fraud, insidious dealing … a net, or snare ….” It has the same root as the word used in Hosea 5:13. In Obadiah the wound is directly related to being deceived by a peace pact!

Is the peace pact with the Arabs the Israeli wound that God refers to in Hosea 5:13? There would have been no peace pact if Judah would have trusted God instead of men.

The word wound doesn’t necessarily itself refer to some violent act, but it will undoubtedly lead to violence.

Judah’s wound is becoming more and more obvious—and so is its one-sided trust in Germany. To learn where these events are leading and how God will solve these problems, read “The Jewish State’s Deadly Wound.”