Full coverage· Politics· Updated
German Parliament Criminalizes Denial of Israel's Right to Exist with Prison Penalties
The German Bundestag passed a law criminalizing calls to destroy Israel or deny its existence, punishable by up to five years in prison. The legislation, driven by efforts from the Israeli embassy and German officials, responds to rising antisemitism and violence since October 7.
2 newsrooms · 1 language · since
Plus
What happened
- 01German Bundestag criminalizes denial of Israel's right to exist with up to five years imprisonment.
- 02Law expands hate speech provisions to include calls for Israel's destruction or denial of its existence.
- 03Israeli embassy and German officials worked to close legal gaps combating antisemitism.
- 04Law passed with significant majority despite opposition from anti-Israel groups.
- 05Boris Rhein, Hesse Prime Minister, led the legislative push as a close ally of Israel.
- 06Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor highlighted surge in antisemitism since October 7 and called for broad societal action.
It now moves to the lower house for final approval.
The coverage
2 newsrooms on this story
Who covered it
- LeftNone
- Centre1
- RightNone
- Haredi1
- ArabNone
How it broke
See which of the 2 newsrooms broke it, and who waited