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Germany is clearly on Israel’s side in the Gaza war. This is causing resentment in the Arab world: NGOs and political foundations from Germany that are active in the region see their work being impaired.
Last December, a video appeared on the Lebanese news platform “Megaphonenews”: It shows a pro-Palestinian protest at an event at Beirut’s Saint Joseph University supported by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS). It was the conclusion of a training program for young Lebanese who were trained in leading political debates. Activists hold up banners. What exactly is there cannot be seen. According to “Megaphonenews”, they were protesting against the KAS, which had expressed its support for Israel’s occupation and its war in the Gaza Strip.
“Network work” instead of publicity
The example shows: Political foundations and other institutions that work in the Arab world are directly feeling the consequences of current German foreign policy. According to KAS, the activists were not participants in the training program, but rather an external student group. The CDU-affiliated foundation attributes the mood, among other things, to the fact that in countries like Lebanon there is fear of being drawn into war.
In many Arab countries there is a “one-sided view” of the current crisis in the Middle East. For example, the fate of the Israeli hostages is being “hidden,” according to a request from ARD. It is noticeable that no reports about the foundation’s activities have been published on the KAS website since October. The KAS explains this by saying that they are now focusing on “advice and networking [setze] and less on high-profile formats” – that’s what the statement says.
“irritation” among local partners
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation, which is close to the FDP, also said it has postponed some events “to a later but indefinite date for reasons of solidarity and victims.” Especially in Jordan – where many Palestinians live – the mood is “highly emotional.” There were even calls to block the German embassy, reports Jörg Dehnert, the foundation’s regional office manager.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation, which is close to the Greens, speaks of “questions and irritations in our range of partners”.
And the CSU-affiliated Hanns Seidel Foundation reports that in the region, young participants in particular would distance themselves from political education projects.
Long-term employees quit
The consequences are apparently even more serious for the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, which is close to the Left Party and has offices in Ramallah, Tel Aviv, Beirut and Tunis. And this despite trying to make “a small difference” with critical work regarding the Palestinians and Israel.
Long-standing cooperation partners have been lost and some local employees have even resigned. “Our work in the region is severely affected,” it says when asked. Discussions and cooperation partners are “stunned by the supposed acceptance of the acts of war in Gaza, which, in addition to the large number of dead and injured, have made almost the entire population of the Gaza Strip internal refugees.”
fear of “loss of credibility”
In circles of German non-governmental organizations and other institutions there is sometimes massive criticism of German foreign policy. One employee, who wishes to remain anonymous, speaks of a “path of devastation” in German-Arab relations. The federal government hastily rejected South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel before the International Criminal Court in The Hague on grounds of possible genocide.
Foreign Office: Direct exchange is important
The Foreign Office does not comment on this specific criticism upon request. Just this much: On her trips to the Middle East since October 7th, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has repeatedly emphasized “how important direct exchange and cooperation with the states in the region is.”
Jörg Dehnert from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation estimates that cooperation with partners will become even more difficult in the future: “Partners, especially in the NGO sector, will be exposed to greater resistance within their countries,” he says. This could force them to reduce or stop working together.