Thomas Meyer-Falk
Within the widely specialised spectrum of the Left in Germany is an anti-Deutsche fraction (ADF), which appears as, among other things, anti Deutsche communists.
Now there is, in principle, nothing to oppose to an “anti-Deutsche” orientation, should this be, for example, against German national megalomania a la Joseph Fisher (German foreign minister; rumoured to be a member of the Green party), Gerhard Schroeder, or Edmund Stoiber.
Even an appeal for the dismantling of all states and borders is completely understandable; but the way the anti-Deutche fraction sometimes presents itself goes a bit beyond farce occasionally, and is damaging for the whole left.
I take as an example the Israeli – Palestinian conflict. Yes, we all sit in well – nourished mid-Europe and it is easy to insult as antisemites critics of the Israeli politics which strives toward the annihilation of the Palestinians, and to line them up with the Nazis.
The ladies and gentlemen of the ADF compensate the prevailing oversatiety in the abdominal region (vulgarly, in their bellies) by a corresponding emptiness in upper body regions, and I don’t just mean the head, but also and especially the heart!
For two, three, and soon four generations Palestinians have been living in camps that mock any description and which would sent the representatives of the ADF crying back to Mummy and Daddy’s coat-tails, had they to live there for but a few days. Not a day goes by without gunfire and mortar explosions being audible. Death is omnipresent. Hunger, illness and water shortage predominate.
All this however does not register with the ADF. Whoever denouces these inhuman conditions, brought about by Israel, is immediately and vehemently held guilty of antisemitism .
This accusation backfires upon the ADF and for two central reasons. Firstly they must open themselves to the reproach that they deny that the Palestinians are Semites, too. That means that it is simply intellectual nonsense to accuse of, or impute antisemitism to, those who point out the suffering of these people.
Secondly the the suspicion arises that at least some of the ADF bear an antisemitic problem of their own, for Freud ( the founder of psychoanalysis) pointed out ‘projection’; a defence mechanism by which we can imagine a set of events whereby one’s OWN mistakes (or wishes) are attributed to another.
Obviously can, may, and must the politics of the Palestinians be critically examined in the framework of their intifada and suicide attacks. That changes not a bit, though, that there are political currents (and Sharon is one of their representatives) who aim for an obliteration of the Palestinians and work towards it!
To criticise this and denounce it is not only the right of a (of each and every) leftist, but also a duty!
For the liberation of the Palestinians from the yoke of subjection!
Against an eradication policy a la Sharon!
For a peaceful co-existence of Israelis and Palestinians!
Thomas Meyer-Falk
JVA Bruchsal
Zelle 3117
Schoenbornstr. 32
76646 Bruchsal (Germany).