Culture  Sports
Poll: Third of Israelis support Germany
Yair Katan
Published: 05.07.10, 13:38
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1. even sports stories are about holocaust???
ahmed ,   london   (07.05.10)
2. oh please stop this BS
ghostq   (07.05.10)
football got nothing to do with Holocaust survivers. if only you knew what hitler did to the cricket team in the 30's after losing the match he killed all the German team members just for losing the game, the Germans were also victims.
3. Sour milk
Rob ,   TA   (07.05.10)
What the real disgrace is are not Israeli fans of Klose & Co, but the fact that my grandpa had to die in the Holocaust, and Zeev Wolf survived. Should there have been G_d, he would have taken the opposite decision. Because he always hated to see among his chosen people some living in and using the past to frame the present and the future ... "We did not go through what we went through for this, to have people in this country supporting the Germans like nothing happened. Is there a shortage of teams in the world? Can't they support the English? The Spanish? Do they have to support the Germans of all people? "Now they support the Germans, tomorrow they will forget the Holocaust, and the day after, when it happens again, heaven forbid, we will see them remember when it is too late."
4. I'm sorry, but what's wrong with what the survivor said?
Jonathan ,   USA/Israel   (07.05.10)
I myself support the German team, and keep in mind that i am an Israeli; however, if you were placed in a concentration camp and were starved, beaten, watched gassing, were experimented on, you wouldn't want ANYTHING to do with Germany; this includes sports. And yes, Ahmed, you are a clear anti-Jew. Just the way you posed your rhetorical question was insulting. My grandparents were in the Holocaust, and it's important for us JEWS to NEVER forget; however, since you're an Arab, you wouldn't understand it. Considering your countries had Jews as underclass citizens for centuries albeit, it was certainly better being second class, than dead.
5. #3
Omri ,   Israel   (07.05.10)
Do know that Germany today is one of the most pro-Israel countries in the world and is one of the countries with the least number of Nazis today. When I look at it politically I see England today having a lot more Nazis then Germany, same for Spain. And I don’t see England as friendly to Israel in modern days (also in the past). I'm not saying don't forget the past but the modern generation of Germans isn’t like the old one. Thinking we need to have the Germans forever to be enemies of Jews is stupid. I for one was cheering Germany.
6. Get a grip
Matityahu ,   Slovenia   (07.05.10)
It's a f...... game, not WW2.
7. germany and world cup 2010
yoav ,   budapest   (07.05.10)
Yes,Germany played up til now the most exiting soccer.Not Brazil,Not Argentina,not england or spain. The german team,a mix of players from different backgrounds,no overpaid superstars. Simply great and a joy to watch.Even more joy comes when one sees the happy german fans.Germany you deserve to win and a warm shalom.
8. go Villa go :)
Salma ,   Palestine   (07.05.10)
Insha'Allah, Spain sorry i mean Barcelona :) will take revenge from Germany that let Messi cry :(
9. Supporting Spanish instead of Germany!?
boris ,   rehovot, israel   (07.05.10)
Excuse me? A country that never apologized for the inquisition and is one of the most rabid anti-jew and anti-israel countries today in Europe? Especially the Catalan part? It makes me sick how Israelis support Barcelona year after year while ignoring the things happening here and now. Germany is a country that has apologized for its past and is one of the best friends of Israel today. The young players on the German team are not only good footballers, but are great people who don't, so far, do stupid and questionable things like a lot of other footballers. I'm sure they were taught about the Holocaust in school, how it took place in their grandparents' generation and why it's important. I suggest anyone who is young and who has an irrational hatred, should go to Tel Aviv Goethe institute to learn German and rid themselves a bit of their hate.
10. Did the Israelis read how the Germans feel about them
Rod ,   Fargo N.Dakota   (07.05.10)
Across the board every single German Political Party even the CDU voted to condemn Israel for stopping the Flotilla.When will Israel learn to stop acting like the worlds Poodle or as the Worlds battered wife?
11. I see it as a positive
DanLondon ,   London   (07.05.10)
My wife, who is from be'er Sheva, was cheering for Germany. There was quite an atmosphere on our sofa during the England-Germany game. but you know what, I think it's positive. Don't you think it's such a slap in the face to the nazi's that half the German team are migrants, and very few of them would qualify as Aryan stock. Hitler would be furious - and that's a good thing.
12. #9
jj   (07.05.10)
im surprised it took that long for someone to bring up the inquisition. well dont support holland either for deporting jews, or uruguay for harboring nazis after the war either. just dont watch football at all. sit home and be miserable all by yourself and dont bother us who just want to watch 22 guys kicking a ball around a field.
13. WHO CARES ABOUT HOLOCAUST, PPLE AROUND THE WORLD R BETTING..
SINGER ,   SINGAPORE   (07.05.10)
HUGE SUMS OF MONEY ON WORLD CUP, AND THE ISRAELIS R NO EXCEPTION 2 IT. IT IS PURE GREED 4 EASY MONEY.
14. Only last week Germany voted against Israel
Raymond in DC ,   Washington, DC USA   (07.05.10)
It was only last week that the German Parliament passed a resolution slamming Israel over the flotilla incident and demanding an end to the blockade on Gaza. Even parties ostensibly friendly to Israel supported it. Yeah, some friends... Then again, much of Europe is hostile to Jews and Israel - even once friendly Holland is no longer safe for the openly Jewish. The growing Muslim presence accounts only for part of that trend. So from here there's no one to root for.
15. The article from a German Blog condemning Bundestag
Rod ,   Fargo N.Dakota   (07.05.10)
http://www.pi-news.org/2010/06/bundestag-calls-for-suicide-of-israel/
16. to #14 I don't know if you r aware but
ghostq   (07.05.10)
the gov support, this gov is left winger and the support is sinking so fast, merkel is sweating so much in the last few weeks. just to let you know.
17. Germany is Israel's best friend in Europe!!!
Jehudah Ben-Israel ,   Qatzrin, Israel   (07.05.10)
18. The natzim murdered half my family,
Michael Steiner ,   Bahrain   (07.05.10)
almost including my father; yet, I support Germany. Actually, I don't give a hoot about soccer but of the four semifinalists, I'll go for Germany without a second thought. Germany is a modern, reformed, new country today, which is thoroughly ashamed of its ignominious past and which has been one of Israel's staunchest friends since its establishment. That can be said of none of the other three.
19. I will run up a German Flag in my Judean village!
Nethanel ,   Gush Etzion   (07.05.10)
I will run up a German flag in my settlement, it is just about sports. However, truly regrettable is that Israelis accepted that Israelis teams still play in European tourniers and not in Asians. Sport should be above politics and if Muslim countries have a problem so they should stay at home, but not Israel. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/feb/27/worldcup2010
20. Not all Germans
rita ,   SA   (07.05.10)
Don't despair Three of the German team players are Polish. Nothing to do with Holokaust
21. HOLLAND!!!
female ,   Amsterdam/TA   (07.05.10)
22. There are 2 Turks in German team and even more to come...
Germany   (07.05.10)
Mesut Ozil, who is a Turk in German national team, is becoming one of the most admired players of this World Cup. It's funny to see that Israelis are cheering for a Turk who is the main key player in German team. Oh even worse for Israelis, Ozil is a devoted Muslim who reads Quran before matches as he said in an interview. Though, he is also enjoying a very secular lifestyle.
23. Germany
J.K. ,   Brooklyn USA   (07.05.10)
Between 1933 and 1945,Germany perpetrated the most horrible crime in human recorded history ,after the war into the seventies,Germany sheltered and protected the killers,but today Israel has only 2 true allies,the USA and Germany in a ocean of hostility,Germany is a good friend and a true ally of Israel,to carry on a grudge against Germany is counter productive,for years and years Germany protected Israel against France and other enemies of Israel,to carry a grudge and take revenge is forbidden by the laws of Mozes,while to Muslims revenge is a very important tenet in their faith,the reason for the Muslim backwardness is that they live in the past,and by the way the instructors of the early Mosad were members of the Gestapo,as Disraely said :Nations have no eternal friends or eternal enemies,just eternal interests.
24. #20, #22: Even almost half of the team not purely German
Tobias   (07.05.10)
Of the 23 players in the German Team at the world cup, three players were born in Poland, one in Yugoslavia (Bosnia), one in Brazil, two have turkish parents, one has a father from Ghana, one a father from Nigeria, one a father from Tunisia, and one a father from Spain. Thus, 11 of 23 German players are immigrants or sons of immigrants. That's almost half of the team.
25. It'sd only football [ as we say here , not soccer ]
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (07.05.10)
From the four remaining teams , only Germany has produced a very nice football . Uruguay : Defensive , Spain : not very precise , much lateral passes , has to play much better if they wanrt to defeat Germany . Holland , good , but they were a little bit lucky when defeating Brazil . And please , no related to the Shoa . If someone wants to do it , well don't forget that they pay too .
26. What?!
Shimon ,   Cincinnati, USA   (07.05.10)
What does the German soccer team have to do with the Holocaust? What does that generalization of phobic hatred have to do with a sports event or the players in it? Time for some counseling. That much generalization of feelings connected to the Shoah is not a healthy thing, and shouldn't be dignified with quotation. None of the generation playing had anything to do with the horror, so all that these poor victims are doing is cheapening the event with their (understandable but not justified) fears. Those scarred victims should not have been exploited in any manner let alone in an opportunistic piece like the column publicized. That was a serious lapse in both judgment and taste.
27. I agree with Jonathan @ 4, it is hard for Holocaust
leo ,   usa   (07.05.10)
survivor to see this all. I suggest we look at it this way. Germany builds submarines for Israel. Germany also shows valuable political support for Israel in the sea of European hatred. Surely little soccer fan club should not be a problem after all of that.
28. World Cup
Unsal ,   USA   (07.05.10)
Get over it !!!!
29. People want to see exciting football...
Janice Cohen ,   ירושלים   (07.05.10)
and that's what Germany is offering right now. We'll see what they do against Spain. Could be interesting.
30. Germany one of coolest places on planet
Alon   (07.05.10)
A place half these American talkbers will ever experience
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