“Israelis only take you seriously if you’re not too polite”

How does the working culture differ between Germans and Israelis?
When I lived and worked in England, I always thought: oh god, the Germans are so rude compared to the English! But when I went to Israel, I realized that we’re not that bad (laughs). The Israelis are incredibly direct. That’s why Germans and Israelis get along well, because both have a direct manner – the Israelis even more so, sometimes even a tad too much. But that’s fine with me personally, I like this directness. You can say bluntly what you think. In the military, Israelis learn to question authority. This is completely normal and is also noticeable in everyday work life and in dealing with friends and acquaintances. Israelis only take you seriously if you’re not too polite. Otherwise they’ll rip you off. That goes under “chuzpah” here.