Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar delivered a forceful address in Berlin on Thursday at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, warning that Europe—and Germany in particular—has failed to internalize the lessons of the Holocaust, as antisemitic incidents surge and international criticism of Israel intensifies.
Speaking alongside German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, Sa’ar said, “With a heavy heart, I say that the lesson seems to have been forgotten. Antisemitism is raging today unchecked—especially on European soil.”
He cited German government data showing 8,600 antisemitic incidents in 2024—a 77% increase from the previous year.
“Jewish people are afraid,” he said. “They are afraid to wear a kippah. They don’t feel safe in public. … This cannot be normalized.”
Sa’ar emphasized that antisemitism now comes from multiple ideological sources—far-right extremists, leftist elites and radical Islamists.
He accused left-wing critics of portraying Israeli sovereignty as “a colonial phenomenon” while ignoring human rights violations across the Middle East. “They always want to shame the only democracy in the Middle East,” he said, adding that in Israel, Arabs “fully enjoy human and civil rights.”
Turning to the war against Hamas in Gaza and wider regional threats, Sa’ar said the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks constituted the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.
“The only difference between Hamas and the Nazis was their capabilities,” the minister declared, warning that Israel is now under assault on several fronts: from Hezbollah, Iran, the Houthis and other Iranian-backed groups.
“The Hamas Charter openly calls for the murder of Jews,” he said. “And Iran’s leader continues to call for Israel’s elimination—just yesterday, in fact.”
Sa’ar accused Western powers of appeasement. “What is the international community doing? Normalizing Iran. Attacking Israel. Threatening sanctions. And offering the murderers the biggest prize: a terrorist state in our homeland.”
He questioned whether democratic nations have, in the 80 years since World War II, lost the ability to define who is a friend and who a foe.
The speech came as Sa’ar began a diplomatic visit to Germany, amid escalating tensions between Jerusalem and several European governments.
His visit includes meetings with top German officials, including Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder.
The trip follows unusually harsh public criticism by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who last week said he could “no longer understand” Israel’s objectives in Gaza and called the humanitarian toll “unjustifiable.” His comments marked the strongest rebuke yet by a German leader since the current war against Hamas began.
Germany, traditionally one of Israel’s staunchest allies in the European Union, has seen growing internal debate over the war. The E.U. recently launched a review of its trade and political ties with Israel, with countries such as Spain, France, Ireland and the Netherlands backing the effort.
Despite the diplomatic strain, Sa’ar underscored Israel’s enduring connection with Germany. “These will always be special relations,” he said. “But we will never again rely on others for our protection. We swore ‘Never Again’—and we will never break that oath. And yes, that obligates us to be stronger than our enemies.”