Germany's Federal Council (Bundesrat) has approved landmark legislation that would make publicly denying Israel's right to exist a criminal offense punishable by up to five years in prison.
The bill, which now moves to the Bundestag for final parliamentary approval, marks a significant expansion of Germany's ‘hate speech laws’ by extending existing Holocaust denial provisions to include public advocacy for the elimination or dismantling of Israel.
Under the proposed amendments, anyone who publicly, or during organised assemblies, denies Israel's right to exist or openly calls for its destruction could face criminal prosecution, with penalties of up to five years' imprisonment.
Israeli Ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor welcomed the legislation, thanking Hessian Minister-President Boris Rhein and the federal states that backed the initiative. Prosor expressed hope that the Bundestag would move quickly to approve the bill and complete the legislative process.
