A view of increasing pro-Palestinian protests worldwide, German Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger has called on universities to take consistent action against antisemitism.
“The level of hatred of Israel and Jews at many Western universities is unbearable. The massive riots of the past few days must be a reminder and warning to us” said Stark-Watzinger.
The President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, warned that protests, like those in the USA, could also spread to German universities.
“My biggest concern is that the conditions we see in the USA will also appear in Germany, as many groups are internationally networked,” said Schuster.
There is often a lack of “recognizing and dealing with antisemitic activities among students and teachers, as well as usually the right instruments to take action against the drivers of this development,” said Schuster.
The federal government’s antisemitism commissioner, Felix Klein, was also concerned. He said he observed “an aggressive anti-Israeli mood” at German universities, which was also motivated by antisemitic sentiments.
