How did German universities become a space for suppressing the Palestinian voice?

A German doctoral student told Al Jazeera Net, “Antisemitism is a real and critical problem in German universities today” (Shutterstock)

Berlin -

“Please tell the people, intellectuals, university professors, political elites and the media in Germany that surviving the Holocaust does not give you the right to embark on another.” This tweet on For Al Jazeera Net.

Al-Khatib explains, “I left Egypt to escape the suppression of freedoms, and now I am being summoned for investigation in Germany,” explaining that he does not know exactly who filed the complaint against him, but he has been suffering for some time from an attack by Zionist groups, who initially tried to search for a way to prevent him from teaching, and when they did not... Success, I resorted to filing complaints.

Last October, Al-Khatib announced his departure from the German academic field, due to what he described at the time as “double standards, selectivity, and bias.” He said in a tweet that “the German Academy was completely silent regarding war crimes in Gaza,” and he explained to Al Jazeera Net that he specifically stopped working. Obtaining teaching contracts in German universities.

Al-Khatib to Al Jazeera Net: Researchers cannot speak freely about the case, nor even criticize media bias (social networking sites)

Situated within a general context

Researcher Al-Khatib says, “There is bias against the Palestinian issue in Germany. The country has a historical peculiarity, but recently the bias toward Israel has become great, and it has been reflected in the academic reality inside Germany and created a state of fear,” stressing that his publication of a tweet from the page of Biblical Jews who oppose Israeli policies was a reason for this. Additional investigation.

The incident of researcher Taqadum Al-Khatib is not considered isolated from the German context, which is completely biased towards Israel, as German universities have become an area for restricting the Palestinian voice, and several universities have raised the Israeli flag “in solidarity with Israel” since October 7, while the Palestinian flag has become raised on balconies. Some university residences are a reason for accusations by the media and politicians of “supporting terrorism,” as happened at the German American University in Berlin.

For his part, German doctoral student and activist supporting the Palestinians, George Ismail, wonders, saying, “These universities’ condemnation of Hamas is a hypocritical condemnation. Otherwise, why did they not also condemn the military campaign carried out by Israel against the Palestinians that has been going on for years? Nor the killing of a large number of Palestinian civilians? Nor depriving them of Fundamental rights?” He added to Al Jazeera Net that “the condemnation would be legally legitimate if universities raised their voices against the crimes of the Israeli state and extremist settlers.”

German student George Ismail had previously torn up his passport in protest against Germany's bias towards Israel (social networking sites)

Protest inside universities

Last November, students at the Berlin University of the Arts organized continuous protests in solidarity with Palestine, and in response to the college’s position “unconditionally supporting Israel despite its genocide, and the university’s failure to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian victims,” according to a statement by the group that called itself “Not In our name," and demanded an end to the suppression of Palestinian sympathizers.

Although the organizers stressed the need for solidarity between Palestinians and Jews to formulate a unified position against the position of the German state, this did not prevent a large portion of the media from attacking them and accusing them of “anti-Semitism” and “hatred of Israel,” which led to a campaign against them by some figures in political parties. German.

This media claimed that “Jewish students have become afraid to attend classes,” but it did not provide evidence for its claims other than the example that “students protested with red dye on their hands to symbolize the crimes committed by Israel,” according to what was published by the newspaper “Frankfurter.”

In December, students from the Free University of Berlin organized special activities in support of Palestine and to protest against “the suppression of German academic voices” in a main hall at the university, but skirmishes occurred with other students sympathetic to Israel, and “the university allowed them to enter the hall,” according to the organizers.

Subsequently, the university administration called the police to evacuate the place, where several student organizers were arrested, making them vulnerable to a major media attack. They were described as “Hamas supporters who prevented Jewish students from entering.”

The university later issued a statement saying that it would not tolerate “anti-Semitism,” as well as “anti-Muslims and anti-Arabs,” and that it would notify the police whenever a clear violation of the law occurred.

Doctoral student George Ismail says, “The German media completely ignored that among the protesters supporting Gaza were Western and Jewish students,” pointing out that “preventing students who support Zionism from entering the hall came because of their aggression in previous events, and their unwillingness to engage in dialogue, but rather for the sake of provocation and raising the issue.” Israeli flags, and an attempt to tear up pictures and writings showing what is happening to the Palestinian people.”

George points out the irony of having a main hall inside the college bearing the name of the American Henry Ford, who was “a supporter of anti-Semitism and an admirer of German Nazism,” adding that “the current real danger to Jews, Muslims, and immigrants in Germany is right-wing extremism, which this university has done nothing about.” In order to oppose him.

This can be done without any problems, but it also shows how hard it is to get it. Die studentsen rufen “FU, shame on you” and “Ganz Berlin hasst die Polizei”. pic.twitter.com/vm0VAUe4ap

- Elizabeth Rushton 🇺🇦 (@emrshtn) December 14, 2023

New old siding

But this bias is not new. In 2019, the Conference of University Deans, which represents German academia, supported a decision by German student groups supportive of Israel to criminalize the boycott of Israel movement, justifying this by saying that “universities also have a special historical responsibility to take decisions against all forms of anti-Semitism.” ".

The conference also announced the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of “anti-Semitism,” in imitation of German government decisions. While this definition is controversial, it has been subjected to great criticism, even by Jews and Israelis, since it clearly conflates anti-Semitism with And criticism of Israel.

“This definition is incorrectly interpreted against peaceful movements that promote the rights of Palestinians and their legitimate demands, such as the BDS movement,” says doctoral student George Ismail. George highlights that “anti-Semitism is a real and decisive problem in German universities today.”

But he continues, "Confusing anti-Semitism with anti-Zionism puts the Palestinians in danger, because it silences and criminalizes them, and also exposes the Jews to danger, because of the confusion between Israeli policies based on apartheid and ethnic expulsion and Judaism."

Taqadum Al-Khatib also confirms the existence of this confusion within the German academic space, and says, “Researchers cannot speak freely about the issue, nor even criticize media bias, nor even condemn violence and protect civilians in Gaza,” adding that “German academics are hardly heard criticizing Israel.” “This reflects the extent of their fear and anxiety about losing their jobs, or stopping being called upon to teach.”

Source: Al Jazeera