Germany has advanced legislation that would make publicly denying Israel's right to exist or calling for its elimination a criminal offense punishable by up to five years in prison.
The bill has been approved by the Bundesrat (Germany's upper house) and now moves to the Bundestag for consideration.
If passed, it would expand Section 130 of Germany's Criminal Code beyond Holocaust denial to also cover public denial of Israel's right to exist. The proposal would apply to public statements, demonstrations and online speech, but only where the conduct is capable of promoting antisemitic violence or hatred.
German officials said existing laws on incitement and support for terrorist organizations are insufficient and pointed to a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents, from 1,957 in 2020 to 8,627 in 2024.
The proposal does not ban criticism of Israeli government policies or legitimate academic and artistic debate.
The proposed bill is strongly supported by Christian groups in Germany, which argue that the Israeli state is crucial for the protection of Christian Arabs in the Holy Land.
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