The Unifier: Journalistic Death Coverage of Helmut Kohl in the Israeli Press

Barak Bar-Zohar
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Barak Bar-Zohar: The MOFET Institute

No 6tqg4_v1, SocArXiv from Center for Open Science

Abstract: This short article examines the Israeli press coverage of the death of former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl against the backdrop of Israeli–German relations, which have long been characterized by the tension between the memory of the Holocaust and growing political, security, and economic cooperation. The findings indicate that the Israeli media portrayed Kohl in an overwhelmingly positive light, emphasizing his pivotal role in the reunification of Germany, the establishment of the European Union, and the strengthening of Israeli–German relations, including his commitment to Israel's security and his support for financing submarines for the Israeli Navy. Israeli political leaders likewise eulogized Kohl as a true friend of the State of Israel. At the same time, a small number of online commenters expressed hostile views, attributing enduring responsibility for the crimes of the Holocaust to Germany in general and to Kohl in particular, thereby illustrating the continued influence of historical memory on contemporary public discourse.

Date: 2026-07-24
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:osf:socarx:6tqg4_v1

DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/6tqg4_v1

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