German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock: From Green feminism to 'Zionist cheerleader'

In her first visit to Israel to "show support" less than a week after the start of the war on Gaza on 7 October 2023, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock echoed uncritically the rhetoric of the Israeli army and Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

On Friday, 13 October, 2023 after a tour of the settlements surrounding Gaza, with the Palestinian death toll reaching about two thousand within a week and over 420,000 people forcibly displaced from northern Gaza, Baerbock claimed in a press conference alongside former Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen that Hamas uses civilians as human shields, a regular Israeli talking point largely debunked.

For many in Germany, particularly among the younger generation who believe in the ideals promoted by the Green movement, Baerbock's affiliation with the Greens is increasingly seen as contradictory. Following six solidarity visits to Tel Aviv, her latest speech, delivered in the Bundestag on the "first anniversary of October 7th," this year stirred much controversy and highlighted her open support for Israel, ignoring any balance or even diplomatic decorum, as critics argue as she appeared to justify the targeting of Palestinian civilians. 

To Baerbock, Palestinian civilians—their lives, schools, homes, and hospitals—are not deserving of protection. With such simplicity, Baerbock disregarded international law (in which she holds a degree) and the UN Charter, prioritizing over them what she called "Israel's right to self-defence."

Even more infuriating for Germans opposed to their country's stance on Palestinian rights is Baerbock's assertion, supposedly on their behalf, that "Israel's security is part of Berlin's interest, regardless of who is in power in Germany; it is not a partisan matter."

Those who spoke to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, many of whom support green policies to combat climate change, expressed disillusionment with the Green Party under its current leadership, saying, "The Greens today do not represent us at all." Some individuals (who wished to remain anonymous due to pending court cases and on their lawyers' advice, fear being prosecuted and silenced "on behalf of a foreign state on our own soil."

Green opportunism?

The Green Party, to which the 40-something-year-old Baerbock belongs, hails from Hanover, where she was raised in an environment opposing militarization, war, and nuclear proliferation. Baerbock obtained her secondary education in Hanover in 2000 before moving on to study political science in Hamburg. Ironically, though she grew up in a politically active family—her father, a mechanical engineer, and her mother, a social scientist—Baerbock went on to pursue a master's degree in international law in London. Allegations of plagiarism in her 240-page thesis on Germany's future remain a recurring scandal that could intensify ahead of next September's federal election, for which she has her eye on the chancellorship.

Baerbock began her ascent within the Greens in 2005—a journey described by some former party members as an opportunistic climb. She became head of the Brandenburg branch in 2009, spokesperson for the European Green Working Group until 2013, and eventually joint leader of the party in 2018.

Her current role as Foreign Minister of Germany, the largest EU country, has given her prominence within the coalition government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, alongside fellow Green and Economy Minister Robert Habeck, who is expected to lead the party after her.

Baerbock has sought to position herself at the level of former Chancellor Angela Merkel, despite others questioning her competence due to her lack of experience. Her personal stance has notably influenced the Green Party's path, advocating early on for a foreign policy focused on environmental issues and human rights—what she termed a "feminist foreign policy."

In this respect, Baerbock appears "angry at us when we remind her of her lies and her disconnect of feminism from global solidarity, including Palestinian rights," says German activist Anna to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

Anna, who works with other youth under an organization opposing militarization and colonial policies, argues that Baerbock "not only fell far from the tree but also dragged the party (the Greens) even further than the worst pessimists feared." During recent demonstrations in Stuttgart on 7 October in solidarity with Palestine and Lebanon, protesters held signs reminding Baerbock that feminism cannot be separated from the Palestinian cause. 

Some critics say Baerbock "sees herself as the next Henry Kissinger (the former US Secretary of State of German origin)," while others believe she has led the Greens to fully embrace "reactionary" policies, supporting Israeli occupation and treating its security as if it were a German domestic matter. All of this, they argue, would not have been possible without the approval of the Green Party's upper and middle leadership.

One interpretation of this shift from green to dark grey is that the Greens are relying on polishing Baerbock's image to reach the chancellorship. It is not surprising, then, that Annalena Baerbock is among the most enthusiastic proponents of some German states requiring "recognition of the state of Israel" as part of obtaining citizenship, along with her push to equate criticism of Israel and Zionism with antisemitism.

This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed