On the surface of it, Germany’s new pathway to citizenship sounds like a rare dose of sense from the one country in the Western world whose modern history means it still understands why Israel has a right to exist.
One surefire short-hand for establishing who means us ill is by singling out those who mean our Jews ill
The shake-up makes it easier to get German citizenship, allowing people to apply five rather than eight years after they arrive in the country – and just three years for those with good language skills. But for die-hard anti-Semites, the process will get harder, with questions that may involve naming the date of Israel’s founding and showing knowledge of Germany’s commitment to Israel, its laws punishing Holocaust denial and even the requirements for joining a Jewish sports club.
Given the extraordinarily obvious link – Islamism – between obsessive hatred of Israel and animosity towards Jews in general, such questions should help to weed out those migrants who pose a danger to national security. ‘Antisemitism,

Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in