It all started on November 13, with around a hundred students taking over the foyer of the UdK. Clad in black with masks concealing their faces and red-painted hands, they declared Israel a fascist apartheid state committing genocide against Palestinians and deemed it necessary for its destruction.
When university president Norbert Palz attempted to address them, he was met with sheer outrage. Jewish students were subjected to vile insults and harassment to the point where they felt compelled to flee.
On November 29, the demonstrators returned, now advocating for a "strike" and celebrating the "International Day of Solidarity with Palestine" as called for by Hamas — the terrorist organization responsible for the attacks on Israel on October 7 and the ensuing massacre of Jews.
One might have hoped for some form of opposition, believing that the university could protect itself against Hamas supporters. However, such expectations proved unfounded.
Tuesday was meant to serve as a chance to address this situation, as an invitation for a day of action against discrimination and racism at the UdK was extended ("Recognizing Barriers"). Regrettably, the program failed to acknowledge discrimination against the state of Israel and Jews.
Instead, the focus was on "critical voices" and strategies to combat systemic discrimination — a sweeping definition implying that heterosexual people with white skin color are the primary perpetrators of discrimination, while others are deemed victims. Jews are included in this perpetrator category, particularly Israeli Jews, who are portrayed as colonialists unlawfully appropriating Palestinian land.
This narrative, born of ignorance and deception, is rapidly spreading, gaining momentum with each passing day. Protesters even marched in front of the Free University (FU), chanting "From Dahlem to Gaza, Yallah Intifada," a term signifying armed struggle against Israel.
The student committee (ASTA) demanded that the university management condemn the Israeli military's actions against Hamas.
An ominous wave of prejudice against Jews is sweeping across Berlin's universities, disguised as a crusade against Israel. Yet, this antisemitic sentiment runs significantly deeper, ultimately targeting Jewish individuals en masse. This development is particularly chilling given its history and the fact that antisemitism should be unconscionable in academic institutions.
At the UdK's predecessor, Jewish artists were swiftly expelled in 1933, among them Charlotte Salomon, who was forced to flee and ultimately lost her life pregnant with her first child in Auschwitz.
Considering the past, it is disheartening to observe that universities are once again fanning the flames of antisemitism, joining the relentless Arab demonstrations on the streets. It is imperative that the universities purge themselves of this evil.
Gunnar Schupelius's stance is open for discussion. Contact him at 030/2591 73153 or email [email protected].
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