Three weeks ago, I sat down for an interview with, Dr. Malte Kaufmann, a member of the German Bundestag for the far-right populist Alternative for German (AfD) party. During our talk, Dr. Kaufmann positioned himself unequivocally on Israel’s side. A few days later, I had coffee in Jerusalem with Baden-Württemberg AfD politician Stephan Köthe and witnessed an equally clear commitment to Israel there as well. And now the same AfD wins a historic state election in Saxony-Anhalt with nearly 44 percent of the vote, while Israeli media speak of a “political earthquake” and a “genuine state of alert” for Germany.
This is precisely the tension at the heart of the matter. Which AfD did I encounter in my meetings, and which AfD do many Jews and Israelis see when they look at Germany? Is it truly one of the most resolute political supporters of Israel in Germany, or does its solidarity with Israel conceal a party whose nationalist and partly revisionist wing sets off old alarm bells, particularly among Jews? Simply playing one against...
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