A different approach is needed
Following his public accusation of anti-Semitism, Gil Ofarim quickly received a lot of support - from politicians, the media, institutions and citizens. As understandable as this is, this case nevertheless calls for more selectivity. And not just this one.
When Gil Ofarim made his accusation that he had been insulted in an anti-Semitic way in a Leipzig hotel public in October 2021, it soon triggered an avalanche of support for the musician. Saxony's Justice Minister Katja Meier, for example, tweeted that the "anti-Semitism in the hotel" was "unspeakable and intolerable". The state's deputy head of government, Martin Dulig, called what happened to Ofarim "unacceptable" and concluded: "We still have a lot to do in Saxony!" And even the then Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas joins in the discussion: "Leipzig is not an isolated case," he comments.
Just one day after the singer uploaded a video of his accusation on his Instagram page, the Central Council of Jews criticized "the hotel's failure to issue a clear apology to Gil Ofarim". That same evening, hundreds of demonstrators marched in front of the Leipzig hotel to show their solidarity with the musician. Ofarim also received a lot of support on social media - while the hotel manager, who had allegedly insulted him, was quickly bombarded with hate comments and insults.
Of course, this list also includes many media outlets that initially questioned Ofarim's account inadequately or not at all and sometimes simply reproduced it as a factual claim. The press can and must take a good look at itself in this matter and admit that in some cases this was not a glorious act on its part, even if in this case in particular the initial reflex may have been understandable and in some ways even a positive sign.
Away from the outrage economy
After all, most people found it quite simply inconceivable that a Jewish musician of all people would play with the ugly face of anti-Semitism. A grimace, however, that you don't have to lie about like Ofarim in order to encounter it every day in this country and elsewhere in the world. Given this, the impulse to help the supposedly anti-Semitically offended victim was not in itself a bad thing - especially in the land of the Holocaust.
However, what was bad - even with a sensitive topic such as anti-Semitism - was to allow this impulse to spontaneously gain the upper hand. The indignation may have felt right at first - but subordinating it to the weighing up of the statements, the presumption of innocence for the hotel manager and the somewhat longer process of establishing the truth was not.
Not all journalists, politicians or citizens who have spoken out in the case have to put up with this accusation, but some have. After the first doubts about Ofarim's account arose, almost everyone quickly corrected themselves and returned to moderation in their assessment. But initially an economy of indignation prevailed, and it is important to move away from this.
"Mendacity of the establishment"?
Because it also creates victims. Abstract ones such as credibility, which agitators such as AfD MP Beatrix von Storch naturally know how to exploit by ranting about the "mendacity of the establishment" when the first inconsistencies in the musician's accusation of anti-Semitism came to light. And concrete ones, like that of the hotel manager, who innocently fell into disrepute. The fact that he even received death threats in the meantime is no less intolerable than extremists or nutcases who march with torches in front of the houses of political opponents.
The appeal for caution and circumspection is of course not a call for silence. When accusations such as Ofarim's are made, they must be addressed and discussed. It was no different in the Till Lindemann case. Here too, the potential victims had every right to be heard. What must never happen, however, is that the mere suspicion leads to prejudgement. These cases should hopefully have taught politicians, the media and society this.
In light of the public outcry against anti-Semitism, Gil Ofarim's love for music, particularly rock music, never faltered. He continued to perform and engage with his fans, using his platform to raise awareness about the issue.
Despite the controversy surrounding anti-Semitism in entertainment, many musicians and bands have shown their solidarity with Gil Ofarim, using their music as a tool to promote unity and tolerance.
Source: www.ntv.de
