HU-EF Barometer, May, 2024

Mutual perceptions: Germany, Great Britain, France, Poland vis-à-vis Israel

Main findings:  

The Gaza-War

The effect of the Gaza war? About half of the respondents in all four European countries did not change their opinion. Only a minority became either more pro-Israeli or pro-Palestinian with a small margin for the latter.

News exposure? A large majority of the respondents in all four European countries were exposed to the Gaza war in the media. The news have been followed very closely more by German respondents than by their British, French and Polish counterparts.  

Reactions? Most of the respondents did not react actively at all to the war. Despite the widespread media coverage of the war, there were low percentages of individuals who reported posting about the conflict on social media. Additionally, many remained absent from demonstrations and contributed limited financial support to either side of the conflict.

Knowledge about Israel? Asked about their knowledge of Israel, most of the European respondents rated it on the lower side of the middle ground.

October 7^th? In Israel, the Hamas attack on October 7^th is seen by a majority as a completely different war, not similar to anything else in the past. 39 percent of the Jewish respondents are reminded of the Holocaust.

 

European Perceptions of Israel

Is Israel more like the Middle East, like Europe or the US? Israel is mostly seen as a Middle Eastern country, and even more so by Polish and British respondents. German respondents have the highest perception of Israel as a European country. More women than men in all countries see Israel more as a Middle Eastern country. Those who visited Israel, however, perceive Israel predominantly more as a European country.

Conversely, 35 percent of the Israeli respondents consider their country more like a Middle Eastern country. 31 percent liken it to a European country. The number of Arab respondents who consider Israel today more like a Middle Eastern country has more than doubled compared to 2022 (from 16 percent to 35 percent in 2024).

Common associations with Israel? Asked about their most common association with Israel, the answers were surprisingly similar in all surveyed countries: Jerusalem, Holy Places/Religious Sites, Conflict/War Zone, Tel Aviv, Holocaust and History.

 

Visits and Encounters

Mutual visits: Among British respondents, 13 percent have visited Israel, among the German respondents 12 percent, followed by 9 percent of the French respondents and 6 percent of the Polish respondents. In all four countries, the age-group 65+ has the lowest number of visitors. Conversely, half of the Israeli respondents have been to France, 45 percent visited Great Britain, 45 percent visited Germany and 30 percent Poland. Among the Arab respondents, Germany is the most visited country.

Ever met a Jew and/or an Israeli? 59 percent of the Polish respondents and 41 of the German respondents have never met a Jew or an Israeli personally. Mainly older respondents in Germany (47 percent) and younger respondents in Poland (63 percent) have never met a Jew or an Israel personally.

Being a mediator? Asked whether their country should play a role as a mediator between Israel and other countries in the Middle East, 38 % of the British respondents say yes, more than their French and Germans counterparts. Respondents in Germany were much more reluctant than in 2022 about Germany’s role as a potential mediator. A majority (43 percent) is now even opposed it. 

Conversely, in Israel, 39 percent of the Jewish respondents don’t think that Germany, Great Britain or France should play a role as a mediator in the Middle East. 34 percent would like to see one of these countries getting involved. Among Arabs a clear majority of 53 percent would like to see Germany, Great Britain or France play such a role.

 

Antisemitism

Is Antisemitism currently a problem in your country? A large majority in France (63 percent) and Germany (59 percent) see Antisemitism currently as a problem in their country, followed by Great Britain (48 percent) and Poland (30 percent). German respondents see the main threat of Antisemitism emanating today from the far right and Muslim migrants, while British and French respondents attribute it mainly to Muslim migrants. Many don´t know how to attribute the threat.

Is Criticism of Israel Antisemitic? Only a small minority in all four countries agree with the statement that “criticism of Israel is Antisemitism”. Mostly German respondents (58 percent) think that Israel can be criticized without any connection to Antisemitic attitudes, but less than in 2022 (66 percent). Conversely, in Israel, 29 percent of the Jewish Israelis think that criticism of Israel equals Antisemitism. A quarter think that criticism of Israel equals Antisemitism, but less than in 2022. Opinions, however, diverge between Jewish and Arab respondents.

Who is a friend of Israel? An absolute majority of the Israeli respondents see Germany as a friend, followed with a significant gap by Great Britain, France and last Poland. France is considered to be the most Antisemitic country.

 

Historical responsibilities

Germany - A majority of the German respondents (45 percent) think that Israel´s existence is part of Germany´s national interest, while 18 percent disagree. Only 22 percent, however, agree with their current government´s support of Israel in its military operation in Gaza.

Great Britain - One third of the British respondents think that their country has a historical responsibility towards Israel, while almost half neither agree nor disagree. 35 percent think that the Balfour Declaration was the right decision.

France - Half of the French respondents think that their country has managed to come to terms with its Vichy-past. 36 percent don´t think so.

Poland - Asked about Poland’s role during the Holocaust, 60 percent of the Polish respondents perceive the Poles as victims themselves and saviors of many Jews. Conversely, a majority of the Israeli respondents hold the Polish people responsible for their role in the Holocaust – exactly like the Germans.

Under what condition should the visits of Israeli youth to Poland be held? A majority of the Polish respondents want to continue Israeli youth visits to Poland, but half of them only under the condition that Polish guides are involved. Conversely in Israel, a large majority would like to continue the youth trips to Poland, however, one third of them agrees only under the condition that Israeli guides are in charge.

 

Israeli Perceptions of Europe

The future of the Jews in Europe? Jewish life is expected to face more hostility. 70 percent of the Jewish Israelis think that the situation of the Jews in Europe will worsen (as opposed to only 53 percent in 2022). Pessimism grows with age.

Israeli ties with far-right parties? 40 percent of the Jewish respondents are in favor of maintaining ties with far-right parties in Europe, 27 percent agree, but only if these parties support Israel.

Is the EU a success? 37 percent agree. A minority (26 percent) of the Israeli respondents disagree.

Normal bilateral relations? Asked whether they define the relations with Germany, Great Britain, France, Poland as normal, 70 percent of the Jewish respondents say so with regard to Germany, 60 percent with regard to Great Britain, 48 percent with regard to France and 38 percent with Poland.

Considering relocation? A small minority (16 percent) of the Israeli Jewish respondents currently consider relocation to a European country, with the highest number (21 percent) among the Arab respondents. The favorite destinations are Germany, Netherlands, Italy. However, more Israelis than in 2022 think that Israelis should live only in Israel.

 

Israeli-German relations

The survey builds here partly on data collected from 1992 to 2011 by the Richard Koebner Minerva Center for German History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem). Two questions have been asked on a regular basis: whether relations with German can be described as normal, and whether there is a “different Germany”.

Placed on a timeline, the findings show, how - since the beginning of the 1990s - Israelis have been opening up to Germany, reaching a peak in 2011: 89 percent then thought that relations can be described as normal and 83 percent thought that there is “a different Germany”. Since then, the numbers went down again, although it is difficult to draw clear conclusions, as there is a gap of ten years, in which no surveys were carried out. One can nevertheless point out here the rise of the far right party AFD as well as the impact of the “refugee crisis” in 2015.

In 2024, 70 percent of the Jewish respondents define the relations with Germany as normal – with older Jewish respondents agreeing more than younger respondents. 75 percent agree with the statement that there is a „different Germany“ today. 

In contrast, only one third of the German respondents perceive the relations between Germany and Israel as normal. Notably more men than women think so as well as respondents who have been in Israel.   

The German far-right as a threat? A majority of the Israeli respondents (55 percent) see the strengthening of the far-right party AFD in Germany as a dangerous development, but many say not more than in other countries. Arab respondents fear the party more than Jewish respondents.

Memory of the Holocaust? 75 percent of the Jewish respondents in Israel think that the memory of the Holocaust affects German policy towards Israel. A third of the German respondents (34 percent) think that the memory of the Holocaust in Germany will become weaker in the future, 33 percent believe it will be unchanged and 8 percent believe it will disappear.

Weapon export to Germany? Most of the Israeli respondents are proud of selling the Arrow defense system to Germany. 

German products and language? Only 4 percent of the Jewish respondents say that they would not buy a German product – half of the number in 2022. Almost half of the Jewish respondents are not bothered by hearing the German language in the public sphere. 16 percent are bothered, 28 percent say that it depends on the situation.

The full findings and graphs can be accessed below or here.