• idiomaddict@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      26
      ·
      7 days ago

      The news in Germany is also shockingly biased. Obviously things like the Bild were going to be, but even on more mainstream news, you don’t hear about Palestinian casualties, nor do you hear interviews with Palestinians or Israelis against of the war (at most you get an Israeli who’s slightly critical of methods, but still thinks Israel should be actively defending itself). If you’re a German who doesn’t look at international sources for news, it would be very strange not to support Israel, based on what you’re hearing. It’s infuriating, but it’s also difficult to change. I don’t know what it would take for the German media to stop supporting them.

    • lurch (he/him)@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      20
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      7 days ago

      A lot of Germans still remember the 1972 Summer Olympics massacre in Munich and the aftermath like the plane hijack to free the captured perpetrators and are therefore biased against Palestinians, suspecting a lot of violent people among them. It’s not a good environment to protest.

      • _cnt0@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        12
        ·
        7 days ago

        German here: if you take peaceful demonstration as an option away from people, they are left with two options: being resigned or non-peaceful demonstration. The German stance to hinder peaceful demonstration against the Israeli atrocities is stupid and labeling Greta Thunberg as primed for violence is beyond stupid. And the majority of Germans has no active memory of the 72 Olympics incident.

    • raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      9
      arrow-down
      3
      ·
      7 days ago

      I’m guessing they’re feeling guilty for the holocaust and as an apology, they’re letting the jews in Israel do one of their own.

      As a German: Our government, as an apology, is letting the Israeli government do a genocide of their own. You were so close, and then you took the anti-semitic turn by referring to “the jews” :(

      However, also as a German: While I do absolutely wish Israel was forced to stop the atrocities they commit, and pay reparations, I believe that - given our specific history with the state of Israel and what Germans did to the Jewish population of Europe just ~80 years ago, there are plenty of states in the world that are better candidates to take an aggressive political stance towards Israel, before Germany does.

      Some of us are still very much committed to absolutely defending the absolute right of Israel to exist as a state, while also (albeit sadly less of us) there are people who at the same time see the war crimes committed by the Israeli army and secret services against civilian populations of Gaza & Lebanon.

      But the German government can not just take the side of Palestinians here, not because the current Israeli administration does not belong in jail, but because there are those who will - should the pendulum swing to the other side again - ask for revenge / war on Israel / commit crimes against Israeli civilians. Or, as we already see, use the violence in the middle east to justify hate crimes against Israelis or Jewish people in other countries.

      Those who do the killing are evil on both sides, and those who do the suffering and dying are mostly not the same group of people - neither in Israel, nor in Gaza or Lebanon.

      Long story short - Germany is stuck between a rock and a hard place in this, and it is MUCH easier for virtually any other country in the world to speak on behalf of the Palestinians. Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t speak out, but I can understand why German politicians are very carefully weighing their options on this.

      • Aqarius@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        7 days ago

        The concern is legitimate, but it falls into the same “never again - to us” pit Israel fell into. Another potential framing one could take of the issue - one I feel is more helpful - would go something like: 80 years ago, the world got together to help save Germany from itself, and it’s time to return the favor, hopefully before it gets completely out of hand like last time.

    • superkret@feddit.org
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      arrow-down
      3
      ·
      7 days ago

      It’s sad, but also makes me really angry, that “pro Palestine” and “supporting Israel” are now seen as polar opposites.
      Also, the ongoing war is in no way connected to the 1940’s Holocaust, apart from the obvious “they’re both unspeakably horrible”.

      • B312@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        6
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        7 days ago

        The holocaust led to more jews going to the holy land which lead to the creation of the state of Israel, which since its inception has had expelling the Palestinians as its main goal. Palestinians rightfully so started resisting through different groups which has lead to Israel doubling down on its genocidal motives leading to today. They are connected just not as obviously as other events.

      • basmati@lemmus.org
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        7 days ago

        Israel cannot exist as a concept if you support Palestinians right to exist. They’re fundamentally incompatible.