Reparations Agreement Between Israel and West Germany

In 1952, Israel faced significant financial pressure as a new state, prompting Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion to sign a controversial reparations agreement with West Germany. This agreement was a response to the economic challenges Israel was experiencing post-independence. During the Knesset debate on the agreement, approximately 5,000 demonstrators gathered outside, leading to the deployment of riot police to cordon off the building. The agreement stipulated that Israel would receive several billion marks in reparations from West Germany, in exchange for establishing diplomatic relations between the two nations. The decision was met with widespread opposition, resulting in mass demonstrations across the country, including a notable protest in Tel Aviv where Menachem Begin, a prominent opposition leader, addressed the crowd. The reparations agreement remains a significant and contentious chapter in Israeli history, reflecting the complexities of post-war relations and the moral dilemmas faced by the young state.