FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
BERLIN – There is a conflict at Fridays for Future. At least embarrassment and major inconvenience. For the German branch of the organization, which is one of the strongest internationally, the statements made by 20-year-old Greta Thunberg are untenable and cannot be shared due to the accusation of hatred against Israel and the latent or manifest anti-Semitism they contain. And so the culture war – and the conflict in Gaza – ends up infecting and angering even the movement that has made culture wars its tool.
It was the last post on Instagram that triggered the case in Germany. It has already been pointed out that Greta Thunberg remained silent for days after the massacre of 1,400 Israeli civilians by Hamas. Then the tone towards Israel hardened. However, the latest post explicitly calls it “genocide,” uses the term “martyr” for the Palestinian victims, and claims that “imperialist governments” control Western media.
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, which has always paid great attention to the issue of anti-Semitism, has entrusted its head of the media department, Michael Hanfeld, with a deconstruction of Greta’s pamphlet published on Instagram. The parallels between the eight theses of the text and the most widespread and oldest stereotypes, which have been part of the classic paraphernalia of anti-Semitic propaganda for decades, if not centuries, are impressive. With references (how ignorant and clueless?), unfortunately also to theses from very sad historical eras.
Let’s go one by one, at least with the harshest statements.
The premise is that the media is in the service of the enemy. “Western media are brainwashing you into siding with Israel.” Again, Fridays for Future argues that “anyone who looks at how the system of ‘Israeli apartheid’ has emerged since 1947 understands that it is “It is not a ‘conflict’ but a ‘genocide’ against the Palestinians.” Furthermore, the “Western media” never reports for Fridays for Future that the existence of Hamas has its roots in the “ethnic cleansing” of the Palestinians.
Further pearls: All Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims are declared terrorists by the “Western media” and the Palestinian “resistance” is denigrated as anti-Semitism, while the Palestinians are “dehumanized”. Apparently, Western media is funded by “imperialist governments” that support Israel, pursue their own political interests and a “racist” agenda, and profit from “genocide.” The good news – the post ends – is that their “power” can be defeated if you don’t give in to the “propaganda”. “We all have to resist.”
Shocking? Partly yes, Faz titles her comment: “Fridays for Future speaks like Hamas”. Especially in the part where the theses of an organization that is supposed to fight for the survival of the planet, or at least the human species on it, prove to be so easily permeable to conspiracy theories. But the absence of historical thought or the refusal of much contemporary activism, not just postcolonial activism, to adopt a neutral, distanced stance – neither angry nor enthusiastic – towards the facts it wants to discuss, creates a distortion in the world of the democratic academy and superficiality that was unthinkable until just a few years ago.
The fact is that Fridays for Future in Germany could not remain silent in the face of these publications. The section then sent a statement: “No, the international calculation does not speak for us.” No, the contribution was not agreed with us. No, we are not sharing the content.” And at least, it should be noted, the leaders expressed support for the Jewish community and condemned the October 7 terrorist attack. Luisa Neubauer, 27 years old and also called “the German Greta”, was at the pro-Israel demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate last Sunday, where Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was also present. But it is also true that a few days earlier, activists of the young generation demonstrated in front of the Foreign Office in the middle of Berlin and shouted “Free Palestine from German guilt”.
The Jewish community and many political leaders are now calling for the German branch of environmentalists to make a clear separation from the international branch. Joseph Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said: “I expect a real separation from Luisa Neubauer and Fridays for Future Germany, a change of name of the organization and the cessation of all contacts with Fridays for Future International.” We don’t need simple explanations, but real consequences.”
The greens are also in the first row. Marcel Emmerich, 32 years old, one of the leading representatives of the younger generation, admits: “Unfortunately, Fridays for Future often attracts international attention with its strongly anti-Semitic positions.” Not a small thing for an organization that places intellectual activism at the center of its activities, and this in a war that is just beginning.