#absolutely vile to trivialise palestinian deaths as 'sure thosw things happened too and they're bad' while saying that the protection of

[the-light-of-stars]

It took a while to translate but here is the link to an article that transcribed the German Vice-Chancellor's speech from yesterday evening, in which he makes clear his and the government's stance as completely on the side of Israel, saying that there are no 'both sides' but only one.

Mind, the points made about the horror of antisemitism and how antisemitic bigotry and violence have to be prevented are true, antisemitism is terrible and just like any bigotry cannot be tolerated, however the clearly one sided approach, the criminalisation of anticolonialist/pro-palestinian demonstrations as 'islamistic and glorifying terror' , the clearly biased, racist descriptions as only (!) Hamas' actions as barbaric and 'beastly' while completely endorsing Israel's attack on civilians as not only justified but as a safety measure whose support must be germany's main goal, the downplaying of palestinian deaths as sad but not as important as israeli lives, the threat that attending pro-palestine demonstrations will lead to prosecution by law and for non-german citizens to potential deportation, the claim that 'certainly muslims in germany have a right of protection from right wing attacks but if they don't condemn the protests now this right is waived' while at the same time stating there is no space for religious intolerance in germany , the condemnation of showings of solidarity after racist attacks being made quickly in contrast to solidarity with israel being rarer, are frankly terrifying and the use of antisemitism and the real fears and anxieties of jewish people as a moral shield - especially when so many jewish people are protesting for the rights of palestinians in New York and around the world, and especially considering Habeck's notion that antisemitism has come back to germany only now in the wake of the palestine protests, when for years the german government has done nothing to prevent far right antisemitism and in fact allowed and still allows white supremacist demonstrations under the right of free speech and with police protection - is upsetting and jewish people deserve so much better than to be used to justify racist and islamophobic crackdowns on minorities and people protesting genocide by politicians that only care about antisemitism when it can be used or the topic is making headlines.

Anyways, here is an english translation of the whole article under the cut - paragraphs in round brackets () are part of the article but not part of the speech, paragraphs in square brackets [] are context explanations by me for those readers who aren't german. Important to note that when the terms "jewish people" or "the jewish community" are used it is not a literal translation since the literal translation of the words Habeck , german vice chancellor, used ( "Juden und Jüdinnen" and "Judentum" ) literally translate to "jews and jewesses" and "jew-dom" which are the politicially correct terms in german but to my awareness are not politically correct to use in direct english translation, so I changed those. Boldening is mine as well.

(In a video Vice-chancellor and federal minister of economy Robert Habeck has expressed himself about the war in near-east and to antisemitism in Germany. His speech is much observed. Here it is in direct transcript.

Vice-chancellor federal minister of economy Robert Habeck has has called his much-observed video about solidarity with Isreal and the jewish people a contribution [of opinion] , of which there can't be enough. After many talks with representatives of the jewish community and jewish friends over the weekend he has given thoughts to "detangle the convoluted debate situation a bit" , as the Greens-politician said on Thursday.

In a video that his ministry had shared on X (formerly Twitter) on wednesday evening Habeck had admonished antisemitism in Germany harshly and urged for solidarity with jewish people in Germany. According to the platform until thursday morning this video has already been watched more than four million times and has been shared thousands of times. Politicians, also of the CDU [conservative/ center-right party] , have lauded the appeal.

Here the speech in direct transcript:)

"The terror attack by Hamas on Isreal has now been almost four weeks ago. A lot has since happened: politically though mostly for the people, so many people whose lives are eaten up by fear and sorrow. The public debate has heated up since the attack, in parts it is convoluted. With this video I want to make a contribution to untangle it.

(Habeck: Jewish people in Germany are afraid)

To me, too much seems to be mixed up too fast. The sentence "The security of Israel is german Reason of State" was never an empty phrase and must not become one. It says that the security of Israel is necessary for us as a state. This special relationship with Israel grows from our historical responsibility: it was the generation of my grandparents who wanted to exterminate jewish life in Germany and Europe. The founding of Israel was after this, after the holocaust, the promise of protection for the jewish people - and Germany is bound to help that this promise can be made reality. This is a historical foundation of this republic.

The responsibility of our history also means that jewish people in Germany can live free and secure. That they never have to be afraid again to show their religion and culture openly. But this fear has come back now.

Recently I have met with members of the jewish community in Frankfurt. In an intense and painful talk the community representatives told me that their children are afraid of going to school, that they don't go to sports club meetings, that they - on their parents suggestion - leave the necklace with the star of David at home. Today, here in Germany, almost 80 years after the holocaust.

(Contextualisation must not lead to relativisation)

They told me that they themselves are afraid of stepping into a taxi [for context: a lot of german taxi drivers are members of muslim minorities, mostly turkish] , that they aren't sending letters with their addresses on them anymore, to protect their recipients. Today, here in Germany, almost 80 years after the holocaust.

And one jewish friend told me about his fear, his despair, his feelings of loneliness.

The jewish communities are warning their members to avoid certain places - for their own safety. And this today, here in germany, almost 80 years after the holocaust.

The antisemitism shows in protests, it shows in statements, it shows in attacks on jewish stores, in threats. While there quickly are waves of solidarity when it comes to racist attacks , this solidarity is very brittle when it comes to Israel. Then it is said 'the context is complicated' . But here contextualisation mustn't lead to relativisation.

Certainly there is often too much outrage in our culture of debate. But here we cannot be outraged enough. It now needs clarity and no obfusciation. And part of this clarity is: antisemitism must not be tolerated in any form - in none of them.

(There is no space in Germany for religious intolerance)

The extent of the islamistic demonstrations in Berlin and other german cities is unacceptable and requires a hard political answer. It also needs it from the muslim communities. Some have decidedly distanced themselves from the actions of Hamas and from antisemitism, have reached out for conversation. But not all of them, and some too hesitantly and, in my opinion, generally too few of them.

The muslims living here have a right to be protected from far right violence, rightfully so. When they get attacked this right must be cashed in and they must now cash out the same thing, when jewish people are getting attacked. They must decidedly distance themselves from antisemitism now to not lose their own right on tolerance. There is no space in Germany for religious intolerance. Those who live here live here according to the rules of the country. And those who come here also must know that this is how it is and that it will be enforced.

(Habeck warns of 'entrenched antisemitism' in germany)

Our constitution protects and gives rights, but it also issues responsibilities that have to be fulfilled by everyone. You cannot separate one from the other. In this case tolerance cannot bear intolerance. This is the core of our living-together in this republic.

This means: the burning of israeli flags is a crime, the lauding of the terror of hamas is a crime as well. Those who are german will have to account for this in court, those who aren't german additionally risk their status of residence [that is, their right to stay living in germany]. For those who don't have a status of residence yet [that is, refugees] , this gives a reason to be deported.

(Anticolonialism mustn't lead to antisemitism)

The islamist antisemitism should not cover up that even in Germany we have entrenched antisemitism: it's just that the far right are currently holding back on it out of purely tactical reasons, so they can agitate against muslims [context: a lot of germany's far right tends to be pro-Israel] . The relativisation of the second world war, of the nazi regime as a 'fly's shit' [context: far right groups tend to deny the holocaust or call it 'just a fly's shit on history', 'fly's shit' here being a common phrase to mean 'an annoying but negligible tiny little issue'] isn't just a relativisation of the holocaust, it is a punch into the face of the victims and survivors.

Everyone that listens can and must know this. The second world war was a war-of-extermination against jewish people. For the nazi regime the extermination of the european jewish peoples was the main goal. And because there are quite a few Putin friends among the far right: Putin lets himself get photographed with representatives of Hamas and the iranian government and laments the civilian victims in the Gaza strip while creating civilian victims in Ukraine. His friends in germany are certainly not friends of jewish people.

But I am also worried about the antisemitism in parts of the political left , sadly especially amongst young activists. Anticolonialism shouldn't lead to antisemitism. Thus this part of the left should check their arguments and should not trust the great tale of [anticolonial] resistance. The 'both sides' argument here leads astray. The Hamas is a murderous terror-group who fights for the eradication of the state of Israel and the death of all jewish people. On the other hand the clarity with which for example the german section of Fridays for Future has stated this [that is, the aforementioned statement about Hamas as well as there not being two sides to the situation] even in disagreement with their international friends is more than commendable.

( It was Hamas that beast-like murdered children, parents, grandparents in their homes )

When I briefly was in Turkey, I was reproached about the fact that in Germany pro-Palestine demonstrations are prohibited. And that Germany should also extend its humanitarian efforts towards the people in Gaza. I explained that of course criticism of Israel is allowed here. And that it isn't prohibited to speak up about the rights of Palestinians and their right to their own state. But this call to violence against jewish people and this celebration of violence against jewish people are prohibited - and rightly so!

Sure, life in Gaza is a life without perspectives and in poverty. Sure, the settlement movement in the West Bank is causing strife and takes the hope and rights of Palestinians and increasingly also lives. And the suffering of the civilian populace now in war is a fact, an awful fact. Every dead child is one too many. Even I call for humanitarian aid and advocate for water, medicine and aid to come to Gaza and that the refugees are protected.

(Habeck: The security of Israel is our responsibilty, Germany knows this)

But together with our American friends we continually ensure Israel that the protection of their civilian populace is vital. Sure the death and suffering that now is coming over the people in the Gaza strip is bad. To say that is necessary and legitimate. But this does not legitimize systematic violence against jewish people. It does not justify antisemitism. Of course Israel should hold itself to international law and international standards. But the difference is: Who would ever formulate such demands towards the Hamas?

And because abroad I recently was confronted with how the attack on Israel from the 7th of October has been trivialised as an - quote - "unfortunate incident" , yes even the facts of it had been questioned, here once again to call it back to memory: It was Hamas who like beasts murdered children, parents and grandparents at home. Whose fighters have mutilated corpses, kidnapped humans and , laughing, exposed them to public humiliation. These are reports of pure horror - and still people celebrate Hamas as a freedom movement? That is a reversal of facts that we cannot leave standing.

And this brings me to my last point: The attack on Israel happens in a phase of an approach of multiple muslim states towards Israel. There is the Abraham-agreement between Israel and muslim states in the region. Jordan and Israel are working together on a big drinking water project. Saudi-Arabia was on its way to normalise its relation to Israel. But a peaceful cooperation of isreal and its neighbors, of jews and muslims, the perspective of a two-state solution - all of this the Hamas and its supporters, especially the iranian government, do not want. They want to destroy it.

Those who have not lost the hope for peace in the region, who believes in the palestinian's right to an own state and a true perspective - and we do - must differentiate in these weeks of trial. And to this differentiation belongs that the murderous deeds of Hamas want to prevent peace. Hamas does not want reconciliation with Israel, but the destruction of Israel. And that's why it is uncompromisable: Israel's right to existence must not be relativized. The security of Israel is our main responsibility, Germany knows this. "