Punks Against Antisemitism
October 7, 2023, marks a turning point in history. Hamas committed a massacre of 1,400 people, including Jews, Arabs, Bedouins, as well as people from Thailand and Nepal. The terrorists have killed, tortured, raped, filmed the violence themselves, and taken hostages. It must be clear to all emancipatory forces within the Left and all subcultural scenes: Hamas has no intention of improving the living conditions of the Palestinian population. They are not conducting a legitimate liberation struggle, nor are they interested in a resolution to the conflict. On the contrary, they deliberately aim to maximize civilian casualties on both sides as part of their strategy to fuel international hatred against Israel. In the worldview of these Islamists, there is no place for progressive ideas and a better, free life for all – for which DIY still stands. They actively seek war and are further destroying the last foundations for a peaceful political solution to the conflict. We oppose the current battle of simple narratives because they only function through the dehumanization of victim groups. Instead, we advocate for empathetic, differentiated perspectives that transcend simplistic perspectives of good and evil. Analyzing the complexities of the Middle East situation cannot be achieved through artists‘ statements on the stages of the Berlin subculture venues, and we strictly refuse such an emotional and intellectual simplification.
It’s not that easy
What we believe in is a thorough and differentiated analysis of political events and a humanistic perspective that maintains empathy for both sides of the civilian population. We support the Palestinian civilians; the people in Gaza have the right to live in peace and freedom. At the same time, we want to make it clear that there will be no debate about the necessity and the right for existence of Israel as a safe place for Jewish people from all over the world. Taking the historical tragedy of the Holocaust seriously means that the Jewish state has an unconditional right to exist. It is true, that the government led by Netanyahu partly consists of religious fanatics and extreme right-wing individuals, who do not seem to care much about Palestinians. This makes achieving long lasting peace even more challenging. However, we want to emphasize that even if the most left-leaning government imaginable were in charge in Israel, it wouldn’t change the fact that Hamas still wants to destroy Israel, as October 7th has sadly proven again. We want to bring attention to the incredible suffering of people in Gaza, don’t want to blame it solely on Israeli actions. Instead, we take into account the role of Hamas as a brutal and illegitimate ruler of Gaza. Reducing the situation to a simplistic conflict between oppressors and oppressed doesn’t contribute to understanding. It is therfore mandatory to acknowledge that Hamas‘ actions are not driven by a motivation for decolonization and Israel, the nation founded by survivors of the Holocaust, cannot be labeled as a colonial power.
Red Lines
We are deeply shocked to see certain parts of Berlin’s DIY scene ignoring, and in some instances even actively promoting, the ongoing global surge of antisemitic hatred. Concerts feature false, one-sided, or antisemitic statements. Even in cases where organizers distance themselves from Hamas, pro-Palestinian organizations who celebrated October 7th as a day of liberation are enthusiastically embraced and viewed as partners in solidarity. This represents a clear rejection of enlightenment and emancipation values because answers to critical and pertinent questions are already preconceived. Humanitarian principles condemning the killing of civilians appear to be disregarded, and in some parts of the Left and DIY scene, it even seems that these principles no longer apply when they concern jewish people. Moreover, the spread of unchecked information, the false attribution of positions, and the use of dangerously simplistic and naive language often hinder dialogue. We are saying it clearly: Antisemitism, racism, and the dehumanization of any civilian victims are absolute red lines that we do not tolerate. We will expose antisemitic slogans for what they are while also acknowledging that German society’s discourse is full of anti-Muslim racism when it portrays antisemitism as a mainly imported problem. Our stance is clear: Palestinians should not experience dehumanization or marginalization. They have every right to openly acknowledge their suffering and their desire for self-determination. However, we want to emphasize once more that we strongly oppose any „Left“ group that associates itself with pro-Palestinian supporters aiming to eliminate the state of Israel and only selectively offers their sympathy to those victims of the conflict who align with their narrative.
We unequivocally state:
Hamas is not a legitimate resistance group! Against any antisemitism!