Fridays for Future
Activist Neubauer: “Strongly condemn Hamas terror”
“We strongly distance ourselves from the anti-Semitic posts on international channels,” says climate activist Luisa Neubauer on behalf of Fridays for Future Germany. photo
© Soeren Stache/dpa
On Instagram, the international Fridays for Future account makes harsh accusations against the Israeli state and “Western media.” Now Luisa Neubauer comments on the topic.
The climate activist Luisa Neubauer spoke on behalf of Fridays for Future Germany has clearly distanced itself from anti-Israel statements on the international account of the climate protection movement. “Our full solidarity goes out to Jews worldwide, and we strongly condemn the terror of Hamas,” Neubauer told the German Press Agency.
“We strongly distance ourselves from the anti-Semitic posts on international channels.” The movement’s international networks are loose and structureless and there are few people behind individual posts. “It alarms us to see how these networks have been misused by a few, especially in the last few days, to share disinformation and anti-Semitism,” said Neubauer.
Thunberg: “Justice for Palestine”
About a week ago, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who co-founded Fridays for Future, called for a strike in solidarity with the Palestinians on social networks, causing outrage.
Yesterday she spoke up again for the Palestinians. “Justice for Palestine,” read a sign that the 20-year-old held in her hands during her Friday climate protest in front of the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm. On Instagram, the international Fridays for Future account also made harsh accusations against the Israeli state and “Western media”.
Neubauer promised to take the events of the last few days very seriously. “I am personally committed to suspending global processes until we can be sure that a single group can no longer use global FFF accounts for disinformation and hate,” she said.
FDP parliamentary group leader: “thin explanations and statements”
Politicians from the CDU and FDP had previously called for the German section to distance itself from Fridays for Future. “The anti-Israel statements made by Greta Thunberg and those around her are grist for Hamas’ mill,” said FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr to the newspapers of the Funke media group. Dürr said he did not consider the “thin explanations and statements” from the German branch of Fridays for Future to be sufficient. He expects “the clear termination of cooperation with Greta Thunberg and everyone who is now on the wrong side of history.”
The parliamentary managing director of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Thorsten Frei, made a similar statement. “Parts of Fridays for Future poison the social climate with unacceptable anti-Semitic statements and conspiracy theories. The half-hearted demarcation of the German activists is unacceptable and irritating. There has to be more,” he also told the newspapers of the Funke media group.