Berlin

- After about two months of investigations with a number of Arab journalists at Deutsche Welle - Arab Division, a decision was issued to dismiss 5 of them on the seventh of this month. In it, the journalists covered by the dismissal decision stated that the reason for terminating their work came under the heading of “anti-Semitism.”

Deutsche Welle's decision to separate them provoked different reactions;

There are those who saw it as a dangerous indicator that threatens the independence of the Fourth Estate in Germany, and falls under the name of restricting freedom of expression.

Another group considered that the decision was natural and consistent with German law, which criminalizes anti-Semitism and does not consider it freedom of opinion.

And the director general of the German network, Peter Limburg, said in a press conference that 5 journalists were dismissed after investigations that lasted two months, and investigations are still underway with 8 others.

It is noteworthy that before the formation of the Special Committee to investigate journalists accused of anti-Semitism in denial of the Holocaust, German journalist Moritz Baumsteiger had published in the newspaper "Süddeutsche Zeitung" on November 30, an article under the title "Anti-Semitism in Deutsche Welle: A Turning Point". .

He listed by names 5 Arab journalists working in the Arabic department at Deutsche Welle "who use social media in anti-Semitism."

After that, articles continued in German newspapers supporting what the journalist wrote, including the newspapers "Die Welt", "Spiegel Online", "Frankfurt Allgemeine Zeitung" and "Die Zeit".

The decision to dismiss the journalists included: Maram Salem and Farah Maraqa from Palestine, Daoud Ibrahim from Lebanon, Murhaf Mahmoud from Syria, and Basil Al-Aridi from Lebanon, who is the director of Deutsche Welle's office in Beirut.

Maram Salem: The work contract signed between us and the employer does not contain a clause prohibiting talking about criticism of Israel's policy (Al-Jazeera)

Reason for my semester

Journalist Maram Salem told Al Jazeera Net that an investigation was opened with her two months ago, "after a German journalist published accusing me of anti-Semitism because of a tweet I posted on my Facebook page about the illusion of freedom of expression in Europe. I and my five colleagues were investigated through two internal and external committees, and on the seventh of this The month it was decided to dismiss us from work."

On a question for Al Jazeera Net whether this chapter came within the penalties that may be subjected to any employee who violates the rules of procedure for his work duties, she said: In my case specifically, it does not enter into that, but even in the work contract signed between us and the employer, there is no paragraph prohibiting talking about Criticizing Israel’s policy. There are texts related to freedoms. I could have been warned, but what happened was that I was dismissed without giving a reason.

Only the reason for the dismissal was "important reasons" without explanation.

She added that this act falls within the restriction of freedom of the press, and she was surprised that committees in a Western country searched tweets on personal pages and referred their owner to internal and external committees only because he wrote, "There is no freedom of expression in Europe, but rather it is an illusion, and any talk about the Palestinian issue will be held accountable and expelled from your work."

Fadi Obeid: German law criminalizes anti-Semitism and does not classify it within freedom of expression (Al-Jazeera)

I do not know the reason

Basil Al-Aridi told Al-Jazeera Net that until now, "despite being informed of the decision to dismiss last Monday, I do not know the reasons that led to the decision being taken. What I was told was that the decision to dismiss came after the investigation committee submitted its report to the channel's management about the allegations against me about "anti-Semitism." This accusation is completely false, as I explained to the committee during my investigation, especially that we are Arabs from Semitic peoples and our Arabic language is a Semitic language, and therefore I cannot be accused in this regard, or be an enemy of myself.”

He added that after the decision to dismiss the group of five journalists who were dismissed last week, and as a result of which the head of the Arab department, Nasser Sharrouf, submitted his resignation, two other colleagues were dismissed;

They are Zahi Allawi and Yasser Abu Maileq (Palestinians), which called on news director Muhammad Ibrahim to submit his resignation.

Investigations are still ongoing with other colleagues, all under the same pretext of "anti-Semitism".

Basil Al-Aridi: I do not know the reasons that led to the decision (Al-Jazeera)

German law criminalizes anti-Semitism

Journalist Fadi Obeid said that the decision is not surprising given Germany's firm stance in this regard, as German law criminalizes anti-Semitism and does not classify it within freedom of expression.

He says that the problem is that many members of the Arab communities in Germany from various fields find it difficult to differentiate between freedom of expression, including criticism of Israel, and anti-Semitism, Jews and Holocaust denial, which may lead to legal prosecution in Germany.

He points out that it must be noted that many of the discourses, slogans and opinions circulating in the Arab countries are considered in Germany to be against the law and are classified as anti-Semitic discourse.

While they deny the Syrian regime's crimes against the Syrians, they talk about violations against the Palestinians.

He says that the premise here is ideological or sectarian, and from here it must be noted that some journalists of the Arabic section of the German channel adopt a supportive position for the Syrian regime and another negative position on the Syrian tragedy, and this is tangible in some reports and news materials in this regard, and some of them deny it and witness it.