Because of participation in the Al-Kuds demo: Nemi El-Hassan is not supposed to moderate »Quarks« for the time being

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Moderator El-Hassan: "Taking part in the Al-Kuds demos in Berlin seven years ago was a mistake."

Photo:

Jens Jeske / imago images

The West German Broadcasting Corporation (WDR) is suspending the planned start of Nemi El-Hassan's moderation on the science program "Quarks" for the time being.

The public broadcaster announced on Tuesday in Cologne.

Actually, the 28-year-old should have started in November.

The background is the announcement of her participation in an Al-Kuds demo in Berlin seven years ago.

The WDR said: »The allegations against you are serious.

But it is also difficult to deny a young journalist a professional development.

Therefore a careful examination is necessary. "

In the context of El-Hassan's new job for the public broadcaster, the »Bild« newspaper reported on the demo participation in Berlin.

Thereupon El-Hassan distanced himself from the demo and informed the dpa news agency in a statement: "To take part in the Al-Kuds demos in Berlin seven years ago was a mistake."

At the annual Al-Kuds demonstrations in Berlin, anti-Semitic slogans were repeatedly shouted and symbols of the pro-Iranian Lebanese Hezbollah movement were shown.

Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) has issued a ban on Hezbollah.

On Al-Kuds Day, which falls at the end of the Muslim month of Ramadan, Iran calls for the conquest of Jerusalem every year.

The background is the occupation of East Jerusalem by Israel during the Six Day War in 1967. Al-Kuds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem.

The statement by the journalist, media maker and doctor said about her participation at the time: "Under no circumstances did I utter anti-Semitic slogans during the demonstration, nor did I physically attack people of Jewish faith." She was not present during riots.

The President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, said in a statement: "The waves in the case of the journalist Nemi El-Hassan are high and unfortunately also promote Islamophobia." Therefore, it is now important to be objective with the question to deal with whether she would be suitable as a WDR presenter despite her participation in the march.

"The public broadcaster has a great responsibility not to present anyone on the screen who could spread hatred of Israel and anti-Semitism." This must also be ensured with El-Hassan.

There are currently significant concerns.

mic / dpa