The Central Council of Jews has formally distanced itself from The Left Party, criticizing the political group for its resolutions regarding the Middle East conflict. Josef Schuster, the council’s president, stated to the “Welt” that the party’s decision-making “gives further momentum to growing antisemitism” and concluded that, for Jewish people, this makes the party “unelectable.”
The Left Party had recently resolved during its federal conference in Potsdam to classify Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip as “genocide.” While the party claims adherence to the existential rights of both Israelis and Palestinians, and asserts its stance against racism and antisemitism, Schuster expressed significant skepticism.
He noted that antisemitic incidents in Germany remain at a record high. Schuster questioned the credibility of The Left Party’s claims of opposing antisemitism, arguing that instead of addressing the rising tide of prejudice-a tide he believes is being fueled by leftist groups-the party uses its conference for “lip service” on protecting Jewish life. According to Schuster, this rhetoric, which oscillates between support for boycotts and accusations of genocide against Israel, loses all credibility.
