Central Council of Jews calls Fridays for Future Germany to action

What does climate protection have to do with Israel? Apparently a lot for Fridays for Future (FFF) International. "Viva Palestine libre!", the international coalition of the climate protection movement sent out into the world on Saturday.

In two Twitter messages, Israel was accused of "neo-colonialism" and "apartheid". The state is currently increasingly attacking Palestinians. "As an international anti-colonial movement for climate justice, we stand in solidarity for Palestinian liberation," it said.

Does this self-image also apply in Germany? Fridays for Future Germany keeps short on WELT request.

"Fridays for Future Germany, as a social, grassroots-democratic movement organized in decentralized structures, works on climate issues, but not on foreign policy issues that are not related to the environment and climate," said a spokeswoman for the German organization. Fridays for Future have "repeatedly made it clear" that they distance themselves from "anti-Semitism in any form".

In addition, the climate protectors refer to two short statements from May last year. The background at the time were two incidents that led to allegations of anti-Semitism.

Activist Greta Thunberg shared a tweet by climate activist Naomi Klein, who is considered a supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign directed against Israel. "Anti-Semitism is not only a problem for the extreme right (sic), but is present in various parts of society," wrote the German FFF offshoot on Twitter. And: "It is all the more important to make it clear again and again: Against all anti-Semitism!"

Also during the Gaza war in May 2021, the international FFF association shared a photo on Instagram which said, among other things: “Our hearts go to the martyrs and the dead. The violence and lives lost are a tragedy and their blood will not be forgotten. May her memory be a blessing and a revolution.”

At that time, the German offshoot clearly distanced itself, speaking of “anti-Semitic content” in the post. "Anti-Semitism is in no way compatible with our self-image," it said. "We are clearly against all anti-Semitism, everywhere," tweeted the well-known activist Luisa Neubauer at the time.

But even in Germany there was recently cause for criticism. In September, the group “Palestine Speaks” was invited to a demonstration by the local FFF branch in Bremen. Palestine Speaks is also close to the BDS campaign. With this invitation, as a privileged group of the Global North, they want to provide a platform - and affirm the "anti-colonial solidarity" with Palestine, according to a statement by the Bremen FFF group.

According to the Central Council of Jews, the current distancing does not go far enough. "It is not the first time that FFF International has attracted attention with incorrectly used terms and missed essential connections through anti-Semitism," said Central Council President Josef Schuster WELT. Clearer distancing would have been needed now, he thinks.

Schuster now sees the German climate protectors as responsible. "Just a few days ago, on November 9th, FFF Germany publicly took a stand against anti-Semitism, like many others," he says. "This must also be followed by action." For example, he expects Fridays for Future to adopt the definition of anti-Semitism from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). And all members and associated groups would then have to adhere to these.

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