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New synagogue in Berlin
Photo: Fabian Sommer / dpa
Israel flags were burning in Bonn and Münster and there was an anti-Semitic march in Gelsenkirchen: after the incidents of the past few days, the federal government strongly condemned anti-Semitic demonstrations in Germany and promised additional protection to Jewish institutions.
Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said on behalf of Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) that peaceful demonstrations against Israel's policies are of course possible in Germany.
“Anyone who uses such protests to shout out their hatred of Jews is abusing the right to demonstrate.
Our democracy will not tolerate anti-Semitic rallies. "
Anyone who protests in front of a synagogue and damages Jewish symbols shows that he is not interested in criticizing a state, "but rather aggression and hatred of a religion and those who belong to it," said Seibert.
"We oppose this with all our might of a democratic constitutional state."
On Wednesday night, Israeli flags were lit in front of synagogues in Münster and Bonn.
In Solingen, strangers burned an Israeli flag that was hoisted in front of the town hall on Thursday night.
The police in Gelsenkirchen stopped an anti-Semitic demonstration on Wednesday evening.
About 180 people had moved from the Gelsenkirchen station forecourt towards the synagogue and shouted anti-Semitic slogans.
Previously, after clashes in East Jerusalem, the Gaza conflict between militant Palestinians and Israel had escalated.
Anti-Semitism commissioner calls on Islamic associations to de-escalate
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Anti-Semitism Commissioner Felix Klein: De-escalate the Muslim community in Germany (archive image)
Photo:
Sebastian Willnow / dpa
The Federal Government's anti-Semitism commissioner, Felix Klein, appealed to the Islamic associations to act moderately.
He called on the associations "to distance themselves from violence against Jews and from attacks on their places of worship, to call for non-violence and to de-escalate the Muslim community in Germany," said Klein.
For him it is horrific to see "how obviously Jews here in Germany are being held responsible for actions of the Israeli government in which they are completely uninvolved," said Klein.
Such a view is "pure anti-Semitism".
Solidarity with Palestinians or criticism of the Israeli government are no justification for incidents like those in Bonn, Gelsenkirchen and other German cities, said Klein.
After the incidents, North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Armin Laschet (CDU) announced that he would increase protective measures around Jewish facilities such as synagogues.
The state security determined.
Lower Saxony and Hesse also wanted to check the safety precautions.
Government spokesman Seibert said that the authorities were working with the utmost commitment to investigate the crimes, punish the perpetrators and protect Jewish institutions.
A spokesman for the Interior Ministry said it was currently investigating whether additional protective measures were needed for certain Jewish facilities.
The federal government will provide the federal states with forces from the federal police on request.
"So far, however, such a request has not been made."
The attacks prompted the Israeli ambassador in Berlin to call on Germany to act.
"I urge the German authorities to do everything to ensure the security of our community here," said Jeremy Issacharoff in the ARD "Morgenmagazin".
The conflict in the Middle East has nothing to do with the Jewish community in Germany.
ptz / dpa / AFP