Spaenle: enshrine the protection of Jewish life in law
The Bavarian anti-Semitism commissioner Ludwig Spaenle (CSU) wants to explicitly enshrine the fight against hatred of Jews in Germany in law. He proposes the "anchoring of the state goal of "protecting Jewish life and combating anti-Semitism" in the Bavarian constitution and in the Basic Law", Spaenle said in Munich on Thursday.
He also suggested offering Israelis who have been psychologically and physically injured a stay in Germany as part of a so-called "Germany initiative" - "as a place to recover and retreat". He sees this as "concrete help and a practical sign of solidarity with Israel".
"The terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, in which 1400 mostly Israelis were murdered and around 240 hostages were taken by the terrorists, has direct consequences for us in Germany and in Bavaria," said Spaenle, who has been in office since 2018 and was also confirmed in his post after the Bavarian state elections. "In view of the threat to Jewish life here and in the Middle East, it is a key challenge for Bavaria to show solidarity with Israel and protect Jewish life in our country."
Spaenle, who will be based at the Bavarian State Chancellery in future and is also moving his office there from the Bavarian Ministry of Culture, called for a total of ten points "for practical solidarity with Israel and the protection of Jewish life" - including more money for the German-Israeli Youth Organization and the expansion of security measures for Jewish communities and institutions.
He called on all federal states in Germany to set up interministerial working groups "based on the Bavarian model", in which all aspects of state support for Jewish life and the fight against anti-Semitism are bundled.
He called on Islamic associations to "clearly distance themselves" from the terror of Hamas and to "promote interfaith dialog with both Jews and Christians". "We also call on them to refrain from blanket condemnations of 'Muslims'," Spaenle's statement said.
In the context of addressing the aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attack, Spaenle highlighted the importance of understanding the historical roots of extremism, particularly in relation to religion and its impacts on Jewish life. Moreover, he suggested that education about the consequences of religious extremism could be a crucial step in combating future instances of hatred and violence.
Source: www.dpa.com
