West German parliamentary Vice President Bodo Ramelow stated that he believes the root cause of antisemitism, both within and outside his own political party, stems from a fading memory of the atrocities committed by National Socialism. Speaking to “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” he noted that the postwar generation’s understanding that the state of Israel is also a consequence of the Holocaust is concerning.
He pointed out that some young people are adopting arguments from the Arab side, suggesting that “we are to blame for the poor condition of the Palestinians”. Ramelow strongly disagreed with this assessment, stating that this perspective is fundamentally flawed. He also criticized the lack of knowledge regarding groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, particularly concerning how these organizations treat gender equality. He added that these groups exemplify a “very authoritarian form of religious fanaticism” noting that the authoritarian aspects are often overlooked.
Ramelow emphasized that the issue of antisemitism does not affect his party exclusively. He described the evaluation of the situation in the Middle East and the historical development of Israel as having become a generational issue. Regarding the party conference scheduled for Potsdam in June, he stated that the party should examine the topic with complete conceptual clarity. He expressed hope that they could initiate a process of reflection, specifically concerning the underlying principles of the emancipatory left. However, he stressed that this cannot be separated from the tangible antisemitism present in Germany, calling treating it as a separate issue a “heavy mistake”. Furthermore, he mentioned having “decided to endure this conflict” meaning he intends to actively participate in shaping it.
It was also noted that Ramelow has previously addressed antisemitism within his own party and has faced internal backlash on several occasions for taking this stance.
