Germany has tolerated a legal loophole for far too long, one that antisemites have repeatedly exploited.

But on July 10, 2026, the Bundesrat, the upper house representing Germany’s sixteen state governments, finally moved to resolve it. The Bundesrat backed a bill that would criminalize the public denial of Israel’s right to exist. If this becomes law, anyone publicly calling for the destruction of the Jewish state could face up to five years in prison or a fine.

For decades, Germany’s Jewish community has watched this legal loophole remain wide open. Under current law, perpetrators have repeatedly escaped criminal prosecution after........

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