How German neo-Nazis want to use the attack on Israel for their own benefit

After the Hamas attack on Israel is increasingly trying to use the right-wing extremist scene in Germany to use the conflict for its own anti-Semitic and racist propaganda. An evaluation of websites and social media channels of relevant parties by “Spiegel” showed that almost all right-wing extremist parties show solidarity with the Palestinians.

In the right-wing trendy district of Dortmund-Dorstfeld, a banner was hoisted last week with the inscription “The State of Israel is our misfortune.” The inscription is based on a Nazi motto: “The Jews are our misfortune” – a slogan from the Nazi agitation paper “Der Stürmer”. Police removed the banner and a Palestine flag over a known Nazi meeting place.

Israel-related anti-Semitism

The supposed solidarity with Palestine has a long tradition within the extreme right, at least as long as it is against the Jewish state of Israel, explains Lorenz Blumenthaler from the Amadeu Antonio Foundation star.

The author recently had a “Action Kit against Israel-Related Anti-Semitism” in which he presents various features of anti-Semitic narratives. Due to the divisive reactions to the Middle East conflict and the anti-Semitism that is widespread throughout society in Germany, he sees great potential for connection to right-wing extremist groups and narratives.

“Right-wing extremists are particularly good at exploiting current crises for their own purposes,” said Blumenthaler. “If this can be combined with their own anti-Semitism, that seems particularly worthwhile for them.” Given the current confusing situation, attempts are being made to incite people from different social camps against Israel and to form a cross-front.

Neo-Nazis spread hate against Israel on the Internet

The former NPD youth association “Young Nationalists” defended the Islamist attack against the Jewish civilian population by saying that the Hamas attacks were preceded by “repression, occupation and Israeli mass murder that violated international law.” The German neo-Nazis posted a picture of a blood-stained Star of David and the slogan “Israel is murdering and the world is watching” on the Telegram online service.

The right-wing extremist micro-party “The Third Way” also justifies the Hamas attacks on its website as a “counterattack on the Zionist entity of Israel” and a reaction to “ongoing Jewish provocations.” The neo-Nazi micro-party “The Right” even goes one step further and spreads links on its Telegram channel to a right-wing extremist online shop that offers “Solidarity with Palestine” T-shirts, with the comment “more relevant than ever “.

This is exactly where the expert from the Amadeu Antonio Foundation sees points of contact with other political camps. If, for example, a milieu that sees itself as progressive chants “Free Palestine from German guilt” at a demonstration in front of the Foreign Office, that is not that far removed from the right-wing extremist murmurs of a German “cult of guilt,” says Blumenthaler.

Palestine flags in Dortmund’s Nazi neighborhood

The banner with the inscription “The State of Israel is our misfortune”, which was hoisted last week over a well-known neo-Nazi bar in Dortmund, also offers this scope for interpretation, says the anti-Semitism commissioner for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger. She confirmed to the starthat “The Right” distributed flyers with the same wording in the 2019 European election campaign. Several courts have dealt with this several times, but have only partially banned its use.

However, the former Federal Minister of Justice is convinced that the right-wing extremists’ use of Palestinian symbolism is less about the situation of the Palestinians and more about supporting supposed enemies of Israel and delegitimizing Israel. Provocation also plays a major role. “With their actions they also want to destabilize democracy,” said Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger.

Five years ago, members of the neo-Nazi party “The Right” in Dortmund used Palestinian flags for their own anti-Semitic agenda on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel. The right-wing extremists went together with migrants and the MLPD, which sees itself as left-wing ( Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany) took to the streets against solidarity with Israel.

Lorenz Blumenthaler thinks that exactly such scenes can now be feared again: “The last few days have shown very clearly that there is no lack of empathy and anti-Semitic potential.”

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