dodis.ch/52943
Telegram1 from the Israeli Ambassador in Bonn, Benjamin
Navon2, to the Israeli Foreign Ministry
FRG–GDR
Restricted/Urgent
Bonn, 14 November 1989
Under separate cover, priority “Immediate”, a survey on relations between the
FRG and the GDR3.
Below a paragraph [of background information] in
preparation for the question in the Knesset:
The question of the reunification of Germany is of interest to Israel only in the
context of a rise in German nationalism.
The question of unification is perhaps on the “almost messianic” agenda in Germany
but is certainly not on the practical agenda. No one is dealing with it as a
practical problem and feelings are very mixed. My recommendation is thus to avoid
dire predictions about a powerful wave of German nationalism. I would remind you of
the statement by the Republican leader Schönhuber4 about the East German refugees, “Soll das5 Pack drüben
bleiben” (it would be better that the gang should stay there). If Schönhuber, who has
no qualms about exploiting nationalist feelings for his political needs, is not
adopting this issue, there is reason to assume that nationalism and reunification in
the Germany of today do not necessarily go hand in hand.