Germany takes tough line on anti-Semitism after incidents rise

German vice-chancellor Robert Habeck has vowed that anti-Semitism will not be tolerated in a landmark speech after the country recorded an increase in such incidents amid rising tensions over the war between Israel and Hamas.

“Eighty years after the Holocaust, anti-Semitism is being seen at demonstrations, in statements, in attacks on Jewish shops, in threats,” he said, saying people were afraid to appear openly Jewish in public and that such discrimination was “not to be tolerated in any form whatsoever”.

His intervention came after an anti-Semitism monitoring body warned there had been a 240 per cent increase in incidents in Germany compared with the same period a year earlier after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th, unleashing Israel’s deadly retaliation on the Gaza Strip.

Burning an Israeli flag or praising the Hamas attacks were criminal acts, Mr Habeck warned, and would result in charges for German citizens and potential deportation or the revocation of residence permits for foreigners. He added that criticism of Israel was permitted, but that statements strayed into anti-Semitism where they denied Israel’s right to exist.

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German authorities have forbidden demonstrations they believe will include expressions of anti-Semitism, banned all activities of Hamas, and dissolved Palestinian prisoner solidarity organisation Samidoun after it posted photographs of children distributing sweets in Berlin in celebration after the October 7th attack.

Mr Habeck said there was anti-Semitism among both left- and right-wing political movements in Germany, which has seen a surge in support for the far-right AfD party, long accused of anti-Semitic leanings.

The speech focused, however, on discrimination against Jewish people among Germany’s Muslim communities, which have grown in size to number 5.5 million and changed in composition after a wave of migration from the Syrian civil war.

“The scale of the Islamist demonstrations in Berlin and other cities in Germany is unacceptable and needs a tough political response,” Mr Habeck said. He called on Muslim associations to denounce Hamas and anti-Semitism, saying not enough had done so.

Talks between the German government and Muslim groups after the October 7th attack came close to agreeing a public statement rejecting both Hamas and anti-Semitism, but agreement broke down as the German side did not agree to include a reference to Palestinian grievances, considering the timing inappropriate.

The German embassy in Dublin shared Mr Habeck’s speech on social media, highlighting his comment to left-wing movements that “anticolonialism must not lead to anti-Semitism”.

The speech was widely praised within Germany and was seen as elevating the profile of the Green politician in domestic politics.

It also received some criticism however for not placing enough emphasis on the need to protect civilians in Gaza, as the death toll from Israel’s attempt to destroy Hamas surpassed 9,000, including 3,600 children, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.

“Yes, the settler movement in the West Bank is fomenting discord and robs the Palestinians of hope and rights and, increasingly, lives,” Mr Habeck said. “The death and suffering that is now engulfing the people of Gaza is terrible.

“Systematic violence against Jews however can still not be legitimised by this. Anti-Semitism cannot be justified by this. Of course, Israel must abide by international law and international standards. But the difference is: would anyone ever frame such expectations of Hamas?”

Germany has firmly supported Israel’s right to self-defence following the Hamas attacks. Mr Habeck said that because Israel was founded after the Holocaust with the promise of protecting Jewish people, its security was part of Germany’s “raison d’etat”.