Green Youth's Israel Controversy: A New Stumbling Block for Jette Nietzard
Youth group named Green Youth removes Israeli video by Jette Nietzard from their platform
Jette Nietzard, the head of the Green Youth, has stirred up a fresh furor within her party. This time, it's all about Israel. Volker Beck, former Green Bundestag MP and the current president of the German-Israeli Society, calls out Nietzard for trivialize the victims of a Hamas attack in a video.
On the 7th of October, 2023, Hamas terrorists aggressively invaded Israel, claiming innocent lives of approximately 1,200 Israelis in gruesome massacres. The attacks included torture, sexual violence, and the abduction of over 250 Israelis. This massacre was the largest targeted against Jews since the Holocaust.
In the video, Nietzard mentions the number of Palestinians and Israelis killed in "military operations" between October 7, 2023, indicating a lack of empathy for the Israeli victims. For Beck, Nietzard's statements diminish the unimaginable terror faced by the victims of the Hamas attack. "Now the victims of Hamas are being dubbed as victims of 'military operations' by Jette Nietzard and the Green Youth. Demonize Israel, trivialize Hamas—such callous behavior should have consequences," Beck expressed his dismay on X.
In response to criticism, the Green Youth deleted the video and later re-uploaded it, removing the controversial passages. However, Beck claims no apology was offered, declaring the disregard for the victims' suffering.
Recently, Nietzard caused controversy when she wore an "ACAB" sweater and a cap with the words "Eat the Rich." The acronym "ACAB" stands for "All Cops Are Bastards," a statement often associated with left-wing extremist groups. Nietzard's photo drew severe criticism, even from the left-wing members within the Green party. Co-chair Franziska Brantner was quick to clarify, stating, “That has nothing to do with Green politics."
In an interview with "Der Spiegel," Nietzard stood by her controversial statements. She argued that, while not every individual police officer is a wrongdoer, systemic problems within the police force exist that scare many minority groups and victims of sexual violence. "I've got a few more sweaters in my closet," Nietzard said, hinting at more controversial statements to come.
As Beck proceeds with party disciplinary measures against Nietzard at the party arbitration court in Berlin, Nietzard has refused to apologize and vowed to lead her youth wing until her term ends.
Sources: ntv.de, spiegel.de
- Volker Beck
- Jette Nietzard
- Alliance 90/The Greens
- Israel
- Hamas
- October 7, 2023
- The dispute within Alliance 90/The Greens over the Israel issue, specifically the actions of Jette Nietzard, has expanded beyond party politics and encroached into the realms of general-news and crime-and-justice, with Volker Beck, a former Green Bundestag MP, expressing deep concern over Nietzard's trivialization of the victims of the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
- The ongoing controversy surrounding Jette Nietzard, the head of Green Youth, has not only sparked debates within her party politics but has also invaded the spheres of general-news and crime-and-justice due to Nietzard's perceived lack of empathy towards the Israeli victims of the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, and her association with controversial statements, such as the "ACAB" sweater incident.
