The Strange Solidarity of Hamas and Neo-Nazis
After Hamas' attack on Israel, a peculiar alliance emerged. Neo-Nazis and Islamist terrorists found common ground in their antisemitic views. In Dortmund, Germany, a neo-Nazi house displayed a Palestinian flag with the slogan, "The state of Israel is our misfortune," a phrase borrowed from Hitler's era.
The connection between Hamas and neo-Nazis may seem incongruous, but anti-Semitism acts as a bridge between these two extreme groups, according to Reiner Becker, head of the Hesse Democracy Center at Philipps University Marburg. He explained in the ntv podcast "Wieder was gelernt" that anti-Semitism serves various narratives in different political camps, including right-wing extremism and political Islamism.
The similarities between the two groups run deeper than one might think. Paul Berman, an American author, stated in an interview with the Neue Zürcher Zeitung that Hamas is inspired by Hitler, combining Islamic fundamentalism and Nazi ideologies into a "hellish mix." The Hamas charter refers to The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a forged anti-Semitic diatribe that accuses Jews of orchestrating a worldwide conspiracy.
The unsettling comparison between Hamas and the Nazis was made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a visit by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. While the ideological link is tenuous, both groups share a "absolute will to annihilate Israel and the Jewish people," as Becker pointed out.
The wave of anti-Semitism didn't stop at Germany's borders. In France, Austria, and the UK, anti-Semitic incidents skyrocketed after the Hamas attack on Israel. In the US, neo-Nazi-linked groups called for attacks on Jewish communities. Germany alone recorded around 200 cases of antisemitic attacks in the aftermath of the attack, with Molotov cocktails thrown at a synagogue, people attacked at rallies, and Stars of David daubed on house walls.
Anti-Semitism takes various forms in Germany, from right-wing parties posting propaganda to left-wingers echoing right-wing slogans. During the Gaza war, left-wing activists in Berlin chanted "Free Palestine from German guilt," a cry that non-violent historian and director of the Buchenwald-Dora Concentration Camp Memorial, Jens-Christian Wagner, compared to the right-wing extremist "cult of guilt" narrative.
The similarities between Hamas and neo-Nazis may seem limited, but they are undeniably present. As Becker noted, these two extreme groups might find themselves demonstrating side by side in the future, particularly when it comes to issues that transcend their typical ideological divides. Yet, as the AfD's deputy leader, Beatrix von Storch, emphasized, the party does not support this form of anti-Semitism.
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Insights:
- Incitement to hatred is a serious concern vis-à-vis the neo-Nazi displays in Dortmund, as evidenced by the police and fire department's removal of the Palestinian flag and banner.
- Nazi ideology played a significant role in shaping Hamas, as the group draws heavily on antisemitic tropes like The Protocols of the Elders of Zion in its charter.
- The shared antisemitic sentiments between Hamas and neo-Nazis have led to the mutual support and sympathy between the two extreme groups.
- Anti-Semitic acts have surfaced worldwide in the aftermath of the Hamas attack on Israel, affecting countries like France, Austria, and the UK, in addition to Germany.
- The AfD, a right-wing populist party in Germany, has been vocal in condemning antisemitic statements and actions, distinguishing themselves from other extremist groups.
[1] Hamas Charter (1988) [2] "Wieder was gelernt" ntv podcast episode [3] Paul Berman interview with Neue Zürcher Zeitung [4] Beatrix von Storch's statement in the German Bundestag (2021)
