Poll: Majority of Germans oppose military support for Israel
Berlin (Quds News Network)- A recent poll by Germany’s ARD DeutschlandTREND has revealed that a significant majority of Germans are against their country providing military support to the occupation state of Israel. According to the survey, conducted in August, 68% of respondents believe that it is wrong for Germany to offer military aid to Israel amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Only 19% of those surveyed expressed support for continuing such assistance.
This growing opposition reflects a broader shift in German public opinion regarding Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The poll also found that 57% of respondents believe that Israel’s response to the October 7th military operation has been excessive, while only 21% felt that Israel’s military operations against Gaza were justified.
The findings mark a significant change from a previous poll conducted by the same organization in March, when 28% of respondents considered Israel’s actions to be reasonable, and nearly 50% believed the response was overly harsh.
The issue of military support has sparked debate within Germany, and the Bundestag recently rejected a proposal from the BSW Party to halt arms exports to Israel. The poll’s results suggest that the German public is increasingly questioning their country’s role in the genocide and the ethical implications of providing military assistance to the occupation state.
In addition to the opposition to military support, the survey shows that nearly two-thirds (68%) of respondents do not believe Israeli military operations against Hamas resistance movement are justified when they affect Palestinian civilians, with only 18% seeing these actions as warranted.
The shift in public opinion has coincided with a rise in protests across Germany and other parts of Europe, where citizens have expressed their discontent with their governments’ support for Israel’s actions in Gaza.