Berlin
Broad alliance demonstrates against anti-Semitism on Sunday
Around 10,000 participants are expected at the rally against anti-Semitism at the Brandenburg Gate. photo
© Fabian Sommer/dpa
Two weeks after Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel, an alliance of organizations has called for a rally. They want to send a signal against anti-Semitism at the Brandenburg Gate.
A broad alliance from the German-Israeli Society to parties and religious communities to trade unions has called for a rally against anti-Semitism and for solidarity with Israel on Sunday Berlin called. The organizers are expecting around 10,000 participants at the Brandenburg Gate in the afternoon.
“Israel’s security is not just German reasons of state, defending Israel’s existence is also the matter of German civil society in all its breadth,” said the President of the German-Israeli Society, Volker Beck. The organization is the initiator of the alliance. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will give a speech at the start at 2 p.m.
Numerous speeches
The Israeli ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, representatives of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany, the German Bishops’ Conference, the Central Council of Jews in Germany, the Federation of German Industries and the German Federation of Trade Unions are expected to speak at the rally. Family members of Israeli hostages should also have their say.
SPD leader Saskia Esken, Green Party leader Omid Nouripour, CDU general secretary Carsten Linnemann, CSU general secretary Martin Huber and Left Party leader Martin Schirdewan have been announced as representatives of the parties. Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) will give a speech for the Berlin Senate, as the Senate Chancellery confirmed.
“Hamas’ attack on innocent civilians on October 7th was a turning point in the history of conflict in the Middle East,” said Beck. There is no justification for this terrorist attack. “We are shocked that Jews in Germany are currently the target of hatred, attacks, violence and threats. Here too we want to show: We stand on the side of the Jews.”
AfD and large Islamic associations not invited
The AfD is not invited: “We as the German-Israeli Society, just like the Central Council of Jews, only work with the democratic parties of the German Bundestag,” said Beck by way of explanation.
The “Alhambra Society – Muslims for a Plural Europe” was invited as a Muslim organization, but not a larger Islamic association. “We decided not to invite them in view of the statements made by Islamic associations in the last two weeks,” said Beck. “Islamic associations are called upon to actively counteract anti-Semitism and hatred of Israel.” Many Muslims in Germany have a different attitude than that articulated by the major associations, emphasized Beck.