Jeffrey Sachs: “Germany must immediately recognize Palestine”

Berliner Zeitung: How do you assess Germany's handling of the Gaza crisis?

Jeffrey Sachs: The German government has begun to acknowledge the reality of Israel's genocide against the Palestinian population, including the mass starvation of two million people. However, Germany has still not recognized the magnitude of the catastrophe caused by Israel and has therefore failed to take the necessary measures.

How should one respond to the dramatic escalation and the UN’s declaration of famine?

The German government should immediately recall its ambassador from Israel, summon the Israeli ambassador to Germany to urgently warn Israel of the illegality and criminality of Israel's actions, demand immediate food aid under the auspices of the UN, and join with all EU countries to immediately recognize the State of Palestine—to end Israel's delusions of destroying the Palestinian people and the Palestinian state.

What should Germany do in view of the impending occupation of Gaza City?

Germany and the EU as a whole should call for an immediate UN Security Council resolution to stop Israeli military actions and mass starvation in Gaza and to open Gaza's borders for immediate large-scale food aid through UN systems in response to the mass starvation.

The religious right has occupied the Knesset, and now we have a Knesset resolution annexing the West Bank and new settlements. Should Germany accept this?

Israel has reached the stage of mass delusion that the "Palestine problem" can be ended once and for all. This is genocidal madness. The world must make it clear to Israel and the US (which is actively complicit in this) that "never again" means "never again." Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir, and Smotrich are war criminals and should be treated as such. The world should strongly deplore and condemn the US sanctions against the International Criminal Court, which underscore US complicity in Israeli genocide.

Should Germany recognize a Palestinian state – and would this be more than just symbolic?

The immediate recognition of Palestine as a state and as the 194th UN member state is far more than just symbolic. It would definitively end the Israeli government's delusion that it could annex the territories occupied in 1967 and thereby extinguish the Palestinian right to political self-determination and a Palestinian state within the international borders of June 4, 1967.

Israel's intentions could not be expressed more clearly: the final end of the State of Palestine. The position of the German government—which supports a two-state solution but is based on negotiations with Israel—is tragically simply wrong, whether intentionally or out of astonishing naiveté. It gives Israel a veto over Palestine. It does not lead to a two-state solution; quite the opposite. It claims that the two-state solution is in Israel's hands, which is not the case. It is up to the international community to protect Palestine from genocide.

Could Germany act as a mediator between the Arabs, Israel and Hamas?

No. We don't need Germany as a mediator. We need decisive action from the UN Security Council, which is currently blocked by the US. The key to ending the war lies in putting pressure on the US to stop supporting the Israeli genocide and to stop vetoing a Palestinian state at the UN. Germany and the EU bear the primary responsibility for persuading the US to change its position—because it is the US that is blocking the two-state solution and peace. Israel is, of course, opposed to the two-state solution, but the UN Security Council can enforce it within the framework of international law and peacekeeping.

Chancellor Merz has announced that he will pause certain arms deliveries to Israel – isn't that a step in the right direction?

Yes, that's a small step in the right direction.

German public opinion is strongly influenced by the Nazi crimes against the Jews. As a Jew, what do you tell the Germans how they should act?

Israel is committing genocide. The intention of the Israeli government is to starve and exterminate the Palestinian people and to prevent a Palestinian state forever. This intention is explicitly stated almost daily by members of the Israeli government. It is explained by leading Israeli scholars, NGOs, and politicians. It is known worldwide.

Germany's responsibility to history lies in preventing another genocide. Germany committed genocide against the Herero and Nama between 1904 and 1908, as Germany has officially acknowledged. Germany committed genocide against the Jews during World War II. Germany must not now be complicit in another genocide, this time against the Palestinians.

As an American Jew, I want to make clear that Germany's responsibility lies not to Israel, but to international law and morality. Germany's responsibility is to prevent further genocide. Israel does not represent the Jews. Israel is a nation-state currently committing genocide. In my view, Israel is currently in conflict with Jewish values, human rights, and international law. It must be stopped now—for its own safety, the safety of the Palestinians, and for peace and justice in the world.