Merkel harms Israel

Regarding “Merkel urged EU states not to move embassies to Israel” (December 5), Germany has not only long been antagonistic to Israel in UN votes and has pushed for labeling of products from Judea and Samaria, but now we find out that it has also applied shocking full-court behind-the-scenes pressure against European Union countries that are interested in moving their embassies to Israel’s capital, Jerusalem.

With smiling “friends” like this, who needs enemies? AMI BERKOWITZ

Haifa With the prospect of German Chancellor Angela Merkel leaving power in Germany and the whole German political scene undergoing a radical change, some pundits are remarking on the rise of more extremist politics in the country. The Germany we have kept in check with NATO and the EU for over 70 years and have come to respect for its relatively honest view of its own history is coming to an end.

Should we be surprised? As we bought German cars and cheered the downfall of the Berlin Wall and approved of the reunification of Germany we may have been too optimistic. You don’t get over Nazi indoctrination and the generations of growing antisemitism in Germany since the early 19th century in just 70 years. NORMAN RAVITCH Savannah, Ga.