Greta Thunberg and “Fridays for Future International” have to face severe criticism for expressions of solidarity with Gaza and some anti-Semitic statements. This means that the German FFF activists are coming under increasing pressure.
The Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg has once again expressed solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza on social networks, drawing criticism.
The 20-year-old posted a photo on the Other participants in the rally also held up expressions of solidarity with Palestine.
As with a similar post last week, Thunberg received heavy criticism. She is accused of one-sidedness and anti-Semitism because the Swede previously failed to mention the 1,400 Israeli deaths in the major Hamas attack and the hostages kidnapped to the Gaza Strip. She later added: “It goes without saying – or so I thought – that I am against the terrible attacks by Hamas.”
The photo shared by Greta Thunberg on social networks expressing solidarity with Gaza.
FFF speaks of “genocide” and “apartheid state”
There is criticism not only of the Swedish climate activist, but also of the “Fridays for Future” movement she founded. On the Instagram account, she spoke of a “genocide” against the Palestinians and the “apartheid state” of Israel and called for an “immediate end to the occupation”. The organization had also accused Western media of misinformation and lies.
The federal government’s anti-Semitism commissioner, Felix Klein, then denied the movement its role model function for young people. The latest statements from Thunberg’s circle were “unbearably anti-Semitic and reflect a political worldview that lacks basic democratic values,” Klein told the KNA news agency. “Anyone who propagates such attitudes has disqualified themselves as a role model for young people.”
However, Klein also admitted that “Fridays for Future” is an international youth movement and statements made on behalf of the organization do not reflect the position of all supporters. “The German group around Luisa Neubauer and Carla Reemtsma has always clearly distanced itself from anti-Semitism and is committed to Israel.”
Demands for Germans to distance themselves
However, for the President of the Central Council of Jews, Joseph Schuster, the boundaries of the German branch did not go far enough. “I expect Luisa Neubauer and ‘Fridays for Future Germany’ to really decouple, change the name of the organization and break off all contacts with ‘Fridays for Future International’,” he demanded in the “Bild” newspaper.
Schuster also accused “Fridays for Future International” of “crude distortion of history, demonization of Israel and now conspiracy ideology.”
The anti-Semitism representative of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), Christian Staffa, called on the German section to involve the international umbrella organization in a debate in order to bring about change. The EKD should try to convince German activists of this. In the past, the EKD had expressed solidarity with the concerns for more climate protection from “Fridays for Future” and also supported various climate strikes.
Outrage from politics
German politicians across party lines also expressed outrage at the statements made by “Fridays for Future International” and called for the German section to distance itself more clearly. The first parliamentary director of the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Katja Mast, told the “Welt” that it was not the first time that “the global branch of the movement has attracted attention with anti-Israel statements. Now clear consequences are needed in Germany and not a shrug of the shoulders. ” She expects “a very clear and unmistakable distancing and reprimand” from “Fridays for Future” in Germany.
FDP deputy parliamentary group leader Lukas Köhler told the newspaper: “In order to maintain a small amount of credibility, ‘Fridays for Future Germany’ must now completely distance itself from the international association.” CDU MP Ronja Kemmer said that through the post, “Fridays for Future” had “officially gotten rid of its actual concern.”
Marcel Emmerich, Green Party chairman in the Bundestag’s Interior Committee, told “Welt”: “While ‘Fridays for Future in Germany’ has repeatedly condemned anti-Semitism and has also taken a clear stand in this case, the international movement is promoting the worst anti-Semitic conspiracy theories spread against the media that things can only get bad.”