‘Hyperzionism’: How Germany’s conflation of antisemitism and anti-Zionism allowed a far-right return

In Germany, a phenomenon known as "Hyperzionism" has emerged, where the country's far-right political party conflates antisemitism with anti-Zionism. This has enabled a resurgence of far-right influence following Germany's best election performance since World War II. Politicians continued to label anti-Zionist Jews as antisemites, despite the reality that many are not Jewish.

During the pre-election period, a pro-Israel politician named Karoline Preisler faced accusations of antisemitism after confronting pro-Palestine activists on public transport. The accused, a Jewish man, was wearing a shirt declaring his support for a free Palestine. Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur for Palestinian territories, criticized the mindset behind these accusations as a manifestation of misplaced victimhood.

The Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right party, claimed the highest share of antisemitic hate crimes in Germany, accounting for 84 percent of perpetrators. Despite this, the majority of public discourse equates antisemitism with anti-Zionism and criticism of Israel, even among Jewish people. This has led to a suppression of pro-Palestinian speech and protest through extreme violence.

The AfD party, which downplays its antisemitism and emphasizes its Zionism, draws parallels between its predecessor parties and the current far-right movement. The party even made Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's son Yair their poster boy after he called the European Union "an evil globalist organization."

The shift in Germany's perception of Israel dates back to the years following World War II, with the notion of Israel as a vital part of German national identity becoming more prominent. This evolution in German identity was triggered by the externalization of Holocaust guilt onto Muslim communities after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. As a result, loyalty to Israel has become widespread across all political spectrums, including nominally left-wing parties.

Surveys conducted in 2025 reveal that 80 percent of German voters believe Israel's actions in Gaza are unjustified, while 62 percent consider them to be genocide. Despite these beliefs, only 10 percent of voters fully support the idea that Israel's security should be Germany's raison d'etat. These attitudes are influenced by generational and demographic shifts, as younger and immigrant Germans are more likely to oppose Israel and support Palestine.