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Criticism of Israel Stirs German Furor

(Chicago Tribune) - A few weeks ago, Jamal Karsli, a provincial German politician from the opposition Free Democratic Party, described Prime Minister Sharon's tactics on the West Bank as "Nazi" methods, touching off a political firestorm that has become an issue in Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's re-election campaign. Juergen Moellemann, deputy chairman of the center-right Free Democrats, defended Karsli, blaming a perceived rise in anti-Semitism in Germany on Sharon's actions and on the commentary of Michel Friedman, deputy leader of Germany's Jewish community. To many German political analysts, Moellemann's comments sounded like a calibrated pitch to the far right and to Germany's 700,000 Muslim voters ahead of September's election. The Free Democrats would be a likely coalition partner if the Christian Democrats succeed in their bid to oust Schroeder. Chancellor Schroeder said Moellemann's comments proved that the Free Democrats were "unfit" to be anyone's coalition partner. Foreign Minister Fischer also warned of damage to Germany's reputation. "Moellemann wants to say that we Jews have to know our place in Germany," said Moishe Waks, a leader of the Berlin Jewish community. "But the Germans did not get rid of the Nazi regime by themselves. Democracy was given to the Germans by the Allied forces as a present....Like a reformed alcoholic, Germany has to be more careful. Even a little anti-Semitism could be a dangerous thing."
2002-06-20 00:00:00
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