german parliament enacts “anti-antisemitism” law effectively banning pro-palestinian speech
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The text was ready just in time for November 9. After all, the “traffic light” parties and the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag wanted to use the opportunity to misuse the commemoration of the Reichspogromnacht for a comprehensive attack on freedom of opinion, freedom of assembly, artistic freedom and academic freedom. Nothing else is behind the resolution with the misleading title “Never again is now: Protecting, preserving and strengthening Jewish life in Germany”.
The pamphlet, which is to be passed by the Bundestag this Thursday, has nothing to do with the fight against anti-Semitism. After all, what use is it to Jews if the Bundestag is eloquently happy about the “diversity of Jewish life”, but at the same time deliberately harasses them with the most stupid distortion possible: by equating the state of Israel and their religious community. This is exactly what happens in the resolution, which is emphatically based on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism, which defames criticism of Israeli policy as “anti-Semitic”. Rejection of war and genocide or opposition to the illegal occupation policy thus fall outside the spectrum of permissible opinions. A great “diversity” that is being celebrated.
However, other groups are the main target of the resolution. “In recent months, the alarming extent of anti-Semitism based on immigration from the countries of North Africa and the Middle East has become clear,” the text states. In addition, there is also an “increase in Israel-related and left-wing anti-imperialist anti-Semitism”. The solution to this? Ampel and the CDU are calling for “loopholes in the law to be closed and repressive options to be consistently exploited”. This applies “in particular to criminal law as well as residence, asylum and citizenship law”.
The addressees of these remarks march in uniformed beatings squads, sit in courtrooms and offices. Dog-whistle politics is the term used when enemy images are named in disguise and released for firing. The resolution may not have the force of law, but it is a signal to the representatives of the “raison d’état” to strike without inhibition when they encounter supposed “anti-Semites” with the wrong religion, the wrong origin or the wrong - because anti-imperialist - convictions. The Springer newspaper “Welt” rightly hopes that this will lead to “a considerable toughening of the approach towards all those who agitate against Israel or against Jews”. Anyone following the brutal police attacks on Palestine solidarity camps and demonstrations that are already taking place can easily imagine what will happen next.
But it is not only on the streets and in the immigration authorities that the “pace” is being stepped up. The resolution calls for further bans on associations against “extremist organizations”. The internationally active BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) is explicitly mentioned. “Anti-Semitic behavior” at universities should be punished by “appropriate means”. These include: “the application of domiciliary rights, exclusion from classes or studies and even de-registration”. Funding for art and culture will only be available after an attitude test. Anyone who leans too far out of the window here with criticism - for example of German involvement in the genocide in Gaza - will quickly be out.
According to the will of the traffic-light-coalition and CDU, already severely restricted debating chambers will soon be closed completely. This is also attracting criticism from the middle classes. In the “Berliner Zeitung” newspaper, Olaf Zimmermann, Managing Director of the German Cultural Council, spoke out “against an obligation to make a statement when applying for cultural funding”. Deutschlandfunk radio reported on confidential discussions with members of the Bundestag who had “followed the work on this resolution with grave misgivings, in some cases horror”. They had felt under pressure from pro-Israeli lobby organizations and the Israeli embassy, among others, and were afraid of “being defamed as anti-Semites and Israel haters by the Bild newspaper”.
The consequences of the resolution should therefore come as no surprise to anyone. Especially not for those who are hardened enough to push ahead with the reactionary-militaristic restructuring of the state under the title “Never again is now”.
i know this is a somewhat older article but the ramifications for german anti-zionism are terrifying and should be brought to international attention.
the worst part is that the germans did commit a holocaust in africa. furthermore, many early members of the sa and SS were engaged in german colonialism. the brown shirts originally stemmed from the colonial police in german occupied namibia.