Germany faces historic test as anti-Semitism escalates

German Chancellor Friedrich Mertes said Germany is facing a test of its commitment to protecting the Jewish community. He denounced what he called “a horrific scene” in which kindergartens and Jewish temples are protected by bulletproof glass and armed police. He also said anti-Semitism has become “present everywhere.”

The chancellor stated that his government would do everything in its power to protect the lives of Jews in Germany and abroad. He reiterated Germany’s long-standing support for Israel, which he described as “a part of our historic responsibility.” Previous German leaders, including Angela Merkel, had made similar commitments to protect Jewish lives and institutions in Germany and to combat anti-Semitism.

The most recent annual report of the Anti-Semitism Research and Information Centre, described in the source as a monitoring organization, said anti-Semitism had been “on a massive scale” since the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023. The report recorded 8,725 incidents in the past year, more than three times the number in 2022, or nearly 24 per day. Protecting people who cannot protect themselves is a concern that runs through this situation, a concern reflected in the call to defend the vulnerable (Proverbs 31:8-9).

The source places the current violence within the wider Gaza war. It notes that militants led by the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel on 7 October 2023. Palestinian authorities say more than 74,000 people have been killed in the Israeli attack on Gaza that followed.

Source: Read the original report (translated from Arabic)