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Statement about the current antisemitic incidents

Trigger warning: This text includes descriptions of antisemitic violence

Since about the beginning of July demonstrations »in solidarity with Palestine« are taking place in Berlin, Essen, Vienna, Paris and other cities. Antisemitic slogans, attacks on Jews, synagogues and pro-Israeli demonstrators are quite often part of these demonstrations.

On July 17 pro-Palestinian protestors shouted »Jew, Jew, cowardly pig, come out and fight on your own!« at a demonstration in Berlin. [1] After the American Jewish Committee filed a charge of hate speech, the prosecution only classified the slogan as a slur. [2] An Israeli couple was attacked by pro-Palestinian protestors von July 19. As the attackers saw the man who was wearing a kipah they insulted the couple in an antisemtic manner and attacked them saying: »We wil kill you!« [3] In Essen a pro-Israeli demonstration was surrounded, insulted antisemitically and pelted with various objects on July 18. [4] In Paris a synagogue was firebombed and a Jewish store was burned to the ground. [5] The list of antisemitic attacks could be continued endlessly. These pogrom-like conditions make us afraid and show that outhright antisemitism is not a closed chapter of history. With the intensification of the situation in Israel and Gaza age-old antisemitic resentments and anti-Jewish hatred come into the open. The popular slogan »Child killer Israel« for example goes back to the medieval Christian myth which accused »the Jews« of kidnapping and murdering children for religious purposes. [7] Furthermore the common argumentation saying the Hamas rocket fire is Israel’s »own fault« shows terrifiying parallels to the antisemitic view saying the Shoah – the destruction by the Nazis and their collaborators – was the Jew’s »own fault« (for example because they supposedly didn‘t resist).

As an antifascist group we clearly take up position against such antisemitic traditions and against antisemitism in all it’s shapes! It’s unbelievable that the (German) Left didn‘t say much about the antisemitic attacks so far. No matter what the situation in Israel and Gaza is, from our point of view it’s not okay to attack pro-Israeli demonstrators as it happened in Essen on July 18! This is not about analyzing the Middle East conflict or about being »pro Israel«. This is about criticizing the current antisemitism related to the war between Israel and Hamas. An antifascist Left who is serious »that Auschwitz is not repeated, that nothing similar happens« has to stand up against any form of antisemitism in strong terms. Not only when Nazis desecrate Jewish cemeteries or deny the Shoah, but also when antisemitic sterotypes are being used in relation to the Jewish state and antisemitism is expressed under the pretext of »criticizing Israel«. This has nothing to do with speaking up for the Israeli government, the settlements or the military interventions of the Israel Defense Forces. It’s the consequence of an analysis which doesn‘t reduce antisemitism to the direct hate against Jews, but also includes the hate against the Jewish state.

However an antiracist Left has to avoid the mistake to blame antisemitism altogether on »the Muslims« or »the Arabs« like it currently happens in a lot of reports about the topic. [7] Although openly antisemitic slogans and attacks are currently caused increasingly by Islamist forces, it would be wrong to describe antisemitism as an »Islamist phenomenon«. Because antisemitism is to be found in all parts of society. An emancipatory struggle against anti-semitism must not and may not be fought with racist and anti-Muslim resentments.

Solidarity with all Jews affected by antisemitism!

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbYTUUZLGus#t=1m13
[2] Tagesspiegel: „Jude, Jude, feiges Schwein“ soll auf Demonstrationen verboten werden
[3] Jüdische Allgemeine: Eskalation bei Anti-Israel-Demos
[4] Bündnis gegen Antisemitismus Duisburg: Solid-Demo endet in antisemitischer Gewalt – und der Polizeieinsatz in einem Desaster
[5] Aargauer Zeitung: In Sarcelle herrscht plötzlich nur noch Gewalt, Hass und Angst
[6] Wikipedia: Blood libel
[7] MiGAZIN: Islamfeindlichkeit und antimuslimischer Rassismus in der aktuellen Antisemitismus-Debatte

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