Germany vows 'zero tolerance' for attacks on synagogues
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas pledged "unwavering security" for synagogues in Germany in an interview with Funke media group on Thursday.
Police have stepped up protection at Jewish temples and
intervened at a number of anti-Israel rallies taking place across the country
as violence escalates in the Middle East.
What did Maas say about antisemitic attacks in Germany?
Maas called on citizens to reject the idea of "blaming
people of the Jewish faith in Germany for events in the Middle East — whether
on the streets or on social media."
The foreign minister, who placed blame for the violence
currently gripping Israel on Hamas, said there would be "zero tolerance
for attacks on synagogues in our country."
German president: 'Hatred of Jews will not be tolerated — no
matter from whom'
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier underscored that
commitment on Thursday: "Nothing can justify threats against Jews in
Germany or attacks on synagogues in German cities. Whoever burns Star of David
flags or shouts anti-Semitic slogans on our streets is not only abusing the
right to demonstrate but committing a crime," he told Germany's Bild
newspaper. "We neither want to nor will we tolerate the hatred of Jews —
no matter from whom."
Anti-Israel demonstrations in a number of major German
cities, more planned
Germany has seen a number of large demonstrations over the
past couple of days, with the latest being staged in Hannover and Gelsenkirchen
on Wednesday night and in Bremen and Munich on Thursday. The protests drew
several hundred participants each, and saw anti-Israeli as well as antisemitic chants,
as well as the burning of Israeli flags.
"The burning of Israeli flags and attacks on Jewish
institutions on German soil will not be tolerated," said Interior Minister
Horst Seehofer.
Police have detained several individuals in connection to
rocks being thrown through the windows of synagogues across the country on
Wednesday and Thursday.
A statement from the Interior Ministry on Thursday said that
"security agencies expect intensifying protest activities by Palestinians
in Germany as well as parts of the leftist scene."
Police in Berlin said pro-Palestinian groups had called for
three demonstrations in the city's Neukölln and Kreuzberg neighborhoods this
weekend.
Jewish group condemns 'pure antisemitism'
On Thursday, the Central Council of Jews in Germany
condemned the ongoing demonstrations and vandalism. The group also released a
disturbing video on Twitter that was recorded in the city of Gelsenkirchen on
Wednesday evening. In it, police can be seen standing in front of a group of
individuals carrying Palestinian and Turkish flags and loudly chanting
primitive antisemitic slogans.
The tweet read: "Hatred of Jews in front of the
Gelsenkirchen synagogue. The days when Jews are openly insulted on the streets
should be far behind us. This is nothing other than pure
antisemitism."
Police reacted to criticism that they had not intervened by
saying their main goal was to protect the synagogue. They added that there had
not been enough officers at the scene to detain anyone,and that the crowd was
dispersed once backup arrived.
Gelsenkirchen demonstration stirs reaction in community
Reactions to the scenes that have been playing out in
Germany have not only come from officials though.
Communities and individuals have also been making their
feelings on the matter known. Abdel Karim, for instance, a popular
German-Moroccan stand-up comedian, tweeted: "There are a lot of ways to
express one's understandable human empathy for the Palestinians. Attacking
synagogues is not one of them."
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