African-Americans in the US as well as the Palestinians in their country suffer from racism, exclusion and oppression.

A mural of George Floyd in the besieged Gaza Strip

I’m butting in!

By Evelyn Hecht-Galinski

After reading the “Foreign Feathers” in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung with the title “Get involved” by Felix Klein, the Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the fight against anti-Semitism, I knew that I was on the right side stand and will interfere.

Unnecessary and most abused office

In the meantime, countless excellent publications have grappled with and dismantled Klein, leaving little of this superfluous and most abused office in this republic. One of the most appropriate and best formulations seemed to me that of the chief correspondent of the DLR in the Berlin capital office, Stephan Detjen, who titled Klein as “Discursive Barrier Guard”.

What Klein does to freedom of expression exceeds everything that Germany and the German constitution stand for. Klein probably thinks that in the current corona pandemic, alleged conspiracy theories have to be used to swing around and lump everything together, the persecution of Jews in times of plague and in the Middle Ages, the “Holocaust deniers”, anti-vaccinations, right-wing extremists and Mossad to pick out just a few examples of his indictment. What does Klein want to tell us? That anti-Semitism has now become so powerful in Germany that its office is justified? When he proves exactly the opposite.

Small spread the dangerous virus of racism

In fact, right-wing extremism has become a massive problem for decades, with little attention paid to German politics and right-wing extremist murder of the government president Walter Lübcke from Kassel. What did Klein do about it? Where was he when it was only by luck that the massacre in the synagogue in Halle did not happen? Wouldn’t it have been his job to ensure that synagogues like those in Halle were protected? If he is responsible for “Jewish life”, one should ask how is Jewish life to be reconciled with an office that has much more to do with defending the “Jewish state” and its criminal occupation policy and doing nothing shrinks to defame criticism of Israel as anti-Semitism, BDS supporters and Hezbollah sympathizers, and as last happened, the philosopher, historian Achille Mbembe, wanted to “ban him” and used his government office to remove this recognized scientist from any discourse, according to the Israel lobby. One wonders, why was this completely unnecessary office created?To finally nip any legitimate criticism and opposition to the “Jewish state” forever? In fact, that seems to be his main concern, because with his “hate postings” he does exactly the opposite. There will be more and more resistance against him and his office. Unfortunately, you have to repeat it all the time: Klein scatters the dangerous virus of racism when he unconditionally supports one of the most racist countries in the world. It not only supports racism and colonialism, but also promotes the pandemic of hatred. Although he invokes cohesion in times of crisis, he does exactly the opposite with these accusations, slanders and attacks against freedom of expression. Why is he not concerned with the dangerous phenomenon that the “Jewish state” in particular is not so unconditionally supported by extreme right-wing politicians and parties like the AfD?

“The good” Jews are sent to “philosemic quarantine”

African-Americans in the US as well as the Palestinians in their country suffer from racism, exclusion and oppression. Where’s Klein’s empathy for these unsustainable conditions in Palestine and the United States? This is one more reason that Klein and his office are so unnecessary and have long since been abolished. We need, and that is not to be repeated often enough, finally we need a racism officer who does exactly what Klein fails to do: turn against everyday racism in Germany and the “Jewish occupying state”. Only then will Jewish life finally become normal. But does Klein want “normality” at all? When “the good” Jews are repeatedly sent into a “philosemic quarantine” with a matter of course that creates precisely the prejudices that mean exclusion. If the “Jewish state” incites the Palestinians, that is to be condemned most sharply, but it seems to me that Klein wants to cover up this topic by distracting from it. A more than pitiful attempt that has now turned out to be an own goal. After the attacks on Mbembe, more and more intellectuals and scientists are calling for Klein’s resignation as a symbol of the state representative of a prescribed attack on democratic rules. When it comes to “criticism of Israel”, we have to remain silent and not to interfere. After the attacks on Mbembe, more and more intellectuals and scientists are calling for Klein’s resignation as a symbol of the state representative of a prescribed attack on democratic rules. When it comes to “criticism of Israel”, we have to remain silent and not to interfere. After the attacks on Mbembe, more and more intellectuals and scientists are calling for Klein’s resignation as a symbol of the state representative of a prescribed attack on democratic rules. When it comes to “criticism of Israel”, we have to remain silent and not to interfere.

Stirrups of the Israel lobby

We are accustomed to the fact that the FAZ is once again acting as a stirrup holder in the Israel lobby with these “foreign feathers”. Every now and then an alibi article, that must be enough. In fact, it’s enough for me. As a critical “meddler”, I’m tired of being informed by various media only as I please. It is the duty of the relevant media to inform us, the consumers, about critical issues in the “Jewish state” and in illegally occupied Palestine. If Jewish and Israeli intellectuals use solidarity addresses to ensure that the fight against anti-Semitism is not achieved by depriving freedom of speech and silence on criticism of Israel, then that is an important concern. Where were the FAZ and other media to publish these calls and open letters?Aren’t these Jewish intellectuals as important as former political officials with their published calls? Isn’t that part of the “new” anti-Semitism that is still being promoted by the Federal Government’s Anti-Semitism Officer?

Redirecting diversions to specifically target Muslim offenders

Yes, Mr. Klein “everyone” counts in this fight for freedom of expression and against the virus of philosemitism, which should publicly criticize Zionist-Jewish occupation crimes. I have also noticed several times how they never “forget” to point out “anti-Semitic crimes by Arab-born perpetrators” and question their share in politically motivated crime, official statistics. It seems to me to be a diversion, how they want to draw attention to specifically Muslim perpetrators. Is that the task of an anti-Semitism officer? (1)

Icon of the “Israel Lobby”

In the same issue of FAZ, Lea Rosh, the “Chair of the Support Group for Memorial to the Murdered Jews in Germany”, was able to work for Felix Klein with an article “He is our guardian and he has to stay”. This Lea Rosh, who tries with all her might to act as “Jewish as possible” as a non-Jew, was already getting on my father’s nerves with his penetrative advocacy for the construction of the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin because of him it put it, “of her totally psychopathic nature”. Especially since my father pleaded for it at the time and only wanted to agree to the construction if this memorial was to be built not only “for the European Jews” but for all groups of victims, which thanks to Lea Rosh did not come about. Ms. Rosh also has the “chutzpah”, To view the “clashes” between Israelis and Palestinians and the annexation plans of the Israeli government as critical, and wants to work to “contain” anti-Semitism as well as to relax Israeli-Palestinian relations. Ms. Rosh seems to me to be more than unsuitable for this, as she is at the forefront of one of the icons of the Israel lobby, who consistently support the “Jewish state” with vehemence. It is rather doubtful that she has ever dealt with the Palestinian or colonial suffering of the Arab or African countries, as she writes. and wants to work to “contain” anti-Semitism as well as to relax Israeli-Palestinian relations. Ms. Rosh seems to me to be more than unsuitable for this, as she is at the forefront of one of the icons of the Israel lobby, who consistently support the “Jewish state” with vehemence. It is rather doubtful that she has ever dealt with the Palestinian or colonial suffering of the Arab or African countries, as she writes. and wants to work to “contain” anti-Semitism as well as to relax Israeli-Palestinian relations. Ms. Rosh seems to me to be more than unsuitable for this, as she is at the forefront of one of the icons of the Israel lobby, who consistently support the “Jewish state” with vehemence. It is rather doubtful that she has ever dealt with the Palestinian or colonial suffering of the Arab or African countries, as she writes.

What all these protagonists lack is a look at the sad reality of racism. The injustices suffered by both African-Americans and Palestinians are unprecedented. Two brutal events last week are exemplary of this: in Minneapolis, an African-American citizen was killed by a white U.S. police officer, and at almost the same time, an unarmed, autistic young Palestinian near the old city in occupied East Jerusalem became a coward murdered by a Jewish occupation policeman. This racist brutality is stunned and should encourage all of us to “interfere” in the struggle for justice and freedom in Palestine.

When, if not now, is the right time for the BDS movement (boycott, divestment and sanctions) and the “Black Lives Matter” movement to jointly unmask the lying democracies and the ugly face that is actually hidden behind it, to expose. The importance and resilience of these two important movements, given the obvious dehumanization, is an incentive to oppose and interfere.

Power-preserving election propaganda

For more than seventy years, the Palestinians have suffered from the Jewish Zionist occupation, settler colonialism and the apartheid regime.The situation for the black Americans is almost identical, they have been and are being discriminated against, and they have been denied their constitutional right to protest against these brutal conditions. This extraordinary racism has always been present in US society and has been accepted more or less as a “normal state”. But as long as there is no broad movement that also campaigns for a reform of the police and weapons system and improves the social divide and the education system for all population groups, nothing will ever change. Certainly not with this president, who is trampling on the constitution,

Both states, the Jewish and the United States, are unwilling to tolerate peaceful protests themselves. I still remember Jewish racism in the USA too well when my Jewish host parents, concentration camp and Holocaust survivors, prohibited me from bringing a black classmate from my college home, which made me stunned and so angry that afterwards our relationship was destroyed forever. I also had experience with everyday racism in Israel shortly after 1967, coupled with arrogance, which led me to avoid this “Jewish state”.

Unwanted people in the White House

I also remember all too well the occasional solidarity of many Muslim athletes and soccer players during the “Gaza attack” genocide, which the DFB immediately banned with the threat of punitive measures. In the meantime, the times under the new DFB boss Keller seem to have changed. For me it was a déjà – vu,when there were expressions of solidarity and protests such as kneeling down against the murder of George Floyd, referring to the year 2016 when Colin Kaepernick showed the way with his knee as a symbol against racism. The entire Liverpool team under Jürgen Klopp also followed this peaceful and impressive protest. US President Trump acknowledged these protests by declaring Kaepernick an “unwanted” person, and he, the president who promoted splitting and racism, has now become a symbol of destruction. It is hoped that he, like his son-in-law Kushner, the string puller in the background, will soon become unwanted people in the White House and be punished by the voters. (2) (3)

Demonization as anti-Semites and terrorists

Thanks to courageous athletes like Kaepernick, kneeling has become a preferred means of protest in the fight to support racism everywhere, just not yet in the “Jewish state”, where Palestinians and supporters of the BDS movement are demonized as “terrorists” and “anti-Semites” . We also experience this demonization in Germany, the effects of which have serious consequences for people and organizations.

“Take your knees out of your neck”

In the past six years, more than 7,000 people with a disproportionate number of African-American citizens have been killed by US police officers, according to the US media. Black Americans are two and a half times more likely to be killed than whites. Fortunately, the brutal murder of George Floyd, as well as that of Eric Garner in 2014, was filmed. Floyd’s last desperate cry, “I can’t breathe,” has also become the battle cry of demonstrators worldwide against brutality, racism, helplessness, and injustice. It was poignant to hear the speech in Minneapolis of the well-known civil rights activist Al Sharpton, who denounced the centuries-old oppression of blacks in the USA and said, “Whites have always pressed her knees on our necks, it’s time that we get up in George’s name and say, “Take your knees off our necks.” After this impressive speech, the ceremony participants paused for exactly eight minutes and 46 seconds – that was how long the white policeman Derek Chauvin had pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck. (4) (5)

In contrast, the “Jewish state” murdered and wounded hundreds of thousands of unarmed and helpless Palestinians. We still have fresh memories of the terrible images of the “March of Return” at the illegal border to the Gaza concentration camp in 2018. In the illegally occupied West Bank and in the inhuman sealing off of Gaza, Palestinians are murdered or injured almost daily by Zionist occupation forces. They are at the mercy of the criminal arbitrariness of Jewish settlers who not only rob their land with the help of the Israeli occupying army IDF, but also defend it with murderous violence. Others are deported or their houses are demolished. With kinship and collective punishments, such as raids and curfews, they are kept away from Haram al-Sharif, depending on the occasion.

Black Live Matters and the BDS movement showed solidarity

These crimes of the Zionist occupation forces and the Jewish settlers, like the crimes of the US police, are only possible through the silence of the international community. Another reason to get involved when these fundamental rights are violently violated. So it is to be welcomed that the BDS movement has announced a statement with unwavering solidarity and support for the “Black Lives Matter” protests. The “Black Lives Matter” movement was already exemplary in 2016 when it accused the “Jewish state” of “genocide” of the Palestinians and also solidarized with the BDS movement and an end to US support for the apartheid occupation state demanded. This statement was written by more than 50 organizations and formed the vision of the “Black Lives Matter” movement. This vision should finally be followed by our government, which is committed to democracy and human rights, and to the repeatedly praised “values”. However, this cannot be assumed. Talking about it full-bodied is cheap – acting according to the “values” is the order of the day! (6)

Just as South Africa overcame apartheid and the racist system, all political movements should fight against Zionist racism, illegal occupation and brutal US oppression of black citizens. “Black Lives Matter” and the Palestinian Freedom Movements are a powerful force that we must all support together.

We get involved!

Footnotes

(1) https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/verfassungsschutz-judenhass-islamisten-akte-1.4925890

(2) https://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/bundesliga-protest-thuram-floyd-1.4923967

(2) https://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/nfl-protest-rassismus-kaepernick-1.4924932

(3) https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2020/05/mapping-police-killings-black-americans-200531105741757.html

(4) https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/palestinians-offer-solidarity-with-black-america-s-struggle-for-justice-36884

(5) https://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/george-floyd-buergerrechtler-al-sharpton-haelt-emotionale-trauerrede-in-minneapolis-a-622a483e-7be0-4f59-a99b-85d4b60b2cad

(6) https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/palestinians-offer-solidarity-with-black-america-s-struggle-for-justice-36884

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