Islam Conference: Islam Conference debates Muslim anti-Semitism

The German Islam Conference is receiving special attention this year: Since Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel, there has been an increasing debate about Muslim anti-Semitism in Germany.

At the two-day conference, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) called on Muslim associations to take a stronger stance against anti-Semitism. However, one of the largest associations – the Central Council of Muslims – was not even on the list of participants.

“We have to recognize that we have a problem with anti-Semitism in Germany, which also comes from Muslims. We all have to resolutely oppose this together as democrats,” said Faeser at the opening of the event.

“We all have this responsibility. That means it is also up to the Islamic communities and associations in Germany to speak out loudly and clearly against anti-Semitism and condemn terrorism. In Friday prayers, in the communities, at events or even at their own social media channels.” The same wording, regardless of whether communication is in German, Turkish or Arabic.

The Interior Minister appealed “to the large Islamic associations that claim to represent German Muslims to push forward the fight against anti-Semitism even more visibly.” However, the heads of Muslim associations were not on the stage of the discussion rounds – instead, it was largely government representatives and scientists who sat there.

Exchange and cooperation

The German Islam Conference was launched in 2006 by the then Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble. It serves the federal government for exchange and cooperation with Muslims. Who should represent the interests of Muslims at the conference has been a point of contention since its founding – the conservative umbrella organizations, liberal mosque communities or even secular Muslims.

And this year it seems even more explosive again in view of terror and violence in the Middle East. When asked, a spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry confirmed that the Central Council of Muslims was not invited. He doesn’t know the reason for this, but that is not crucial given the current situation, said chairman Aiman ​​Mazyek previously on RBB Inforadio.

He warned against marginalizing groups such as Muslims in the fight against anti-Semitism. “I am very worried about our situation in our country. The drifting apart of groups, the speechlessness, also hatred and the willingness not to listen to each other has unfortunately become very large,” said Mazyek.

Interior Minister Faeser also spoke at the conference that not all Muslims in Germany should be held liable for Islamist terrorism. “Most Muslims have long been deeply rooted in our democratic society. They are just as shocked as we are by the images of Hamas’ unrestricted violence.”

Everyone is responsible

But the Interior Minister also warned that for some people only a spark is currently enough “for words of hate to be followed by acts of violence.” This also needs to be discussed openly. The Interior Minister referred to Israel’s right to exist as an immutable part of Germany’s raison d’état. This results from the crimes of the Shoah.

This gives rise to a responsibility to never allow the existence of Jewish life to be endangered again. “It is not just the responsibility of the state, but also the responsibility of the entire German society. Every single person in Germany lives with this responsibility,” said Faeser. “This also applies to those of us who only received German citizenship after birth.”

The Interior Minister no longer took part in the following panels at the Islam Conference, but promised that the issue of anti-Semitism among Muslims would be addressed more strongly in the coming year. “We will organize our own event in the spring and increase our project funding in this area,” said Faeser.