Felix Klein broke a taboo: Germans can criticize the Israeli government. Klein is not just anybody: He is the German government delegate for anti-Semitism.
In an interview with the {Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Klein said: “Of course you can harshly criticize the actions of the Israeli government and ask whether they are compatible with international law. That is not anti-Semitic.
“Israel is allowed to defend itself against the genocidal hatred of Hamas. Proportionality may well be called into question. Nevertheless, we must stand by Israel’s side, not only out of historical responsibility, but also out of pure humanity. This includes clearly addressing possible misconduct. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is catastrophic. A country that occupies a territory must ensure that the population is adequately fed, that relief supplies can get through and that medical care can take place. It is unacceptable that members of the Israeli government are questioning this. Israel is a democracy and bound by international law. Germany can and must remind it of this.”
Klein, however, does not go so far to call the Israeli action in Gaza a genocide. “The term genocide is highly problematic. Israel would have to be able to prove that the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are being deliberately killed for ethnic reasons, i.e., because they are Palestinians. That is not the case,” he argues. Accusing Israel of a genocide is discrimination and therefore anti-Semitic.
Such sophism would justify government criminal persecution of those who expose genocide in Gaza.
