Torching synagogue is ‘criticism of Israel’ not antisemitism

by Guest Sat Jan 14, 2017 12:55 pm

This extraordinary verdict is receiving little mainstream (anglophone) news coverage outside Israel. The earlier decision that a 2014 arson attack against a synagogue in Germany should not be deemed antisemitic was upheld by a regional court in Wuppertal.

The local Wuppertal court panel said in its 2015 decision that the three men wanted to draw “attention to the Gaza conflict” with Israel. The court deemed the attack not to be motivated by antisemitism.

It is stated in the report that:

Several days before the fire, a person sprayed “Free Palestine” on a wall of the synagogue.

This shouldn’t be complicated. It’s quite possible for an attack on a synagogue both to be motivated by a wish to draw ‘attention the Gaza conflict’ and be antisemitic. The Wuppertal case echoes one example used by the CST’s Mark Gardner in his reflections on defining antisemitic incidents.

The hatred is showing clear trends. Shouting ‘Free Gaza’ on a pro-Palestinian demonstration is not antisemitic: but obviously is when yelled at a random Jew in the street, or when daubed on a synagogue wall.

Here’s a link, via Google translate, to further background from Der Spiegel, and more information about the impact this case has had on Wuppertal’s Jewish community.

http://hurryupharry.org/2017/01/14/torching-synagogue-is-criticism-of-israel-not-antisemitism/

Can anyone else see where this will open up a can of worms in regards to hate crimes?

For example, a Mosque is burnt down due to hatred of Muslims.
The perpetrators though claim they have done this due to all the Islamic terrorism in the UK
By this legal methodology, it would cease to be a hate crime against Muslims.

I mean, what has a Jewish synagogue in Germany, got to do with Israel and Gaza conflicts?

by eddie Sat Jan 14, 2017 5:03 pm

Sounds like a hate crime to me. Perhaps quill can explain the legal loophole that allows this to happen.

by Ben Reilly Sat Jan 14, 2017 5:20 pm

Thorin wrote:Can anyone else see where this will open up a can of worms in regards to hate crimes?

For example, a Mosque is burnt down due to hatred of Muslims.
The perpetrators though claim they have done this due to all the Islamic terrorism in the UK
By this legal methodology, it would cease to be a hate crime against Muslims.

I mean, what has a Jewish synagogue in Germany, got to do with Israel and Gaza conflicts?

Nothing whatsoever, and it should have been deemed a hate crime. I just wanted to point out that there have been many who justify burning mosques by pointing to terrorist attacks.

by Guest Sat Jan 14, 2017 6:19 pm

Ben Reilly wrote:
Thorin wrote:Can anyone else see where this will open up a can of worms in regards to hate crimes?

For example, a Mosque is burnt down due to hatred of Muslims.
The perpetrators though claim they have done this due to all the Islamic terrorism in the UK
By this legal methodology, it would cease to be a hate crime against Muslims.

I mean, what has a Jewish synagogue in Germany, got to do with Israel and Gaza conflicts?

Nothing whatsoever, and it should have been deemed a hate crime. I just wanted to point out that there have been many who justify burning mosques by pointing to terrorist attacks.

It should be classed as antisemitism, as what has this Jewish place of worship got to do with Israel?
Nothing. Its associating Non-Israeli Jews with Israel and thus hate.
There have been many who have carried out attacks on Mosques and used that reason, now they possible could have their criminality diminished from hate crime, based on the motivation.

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Torching synagogue is ‘criticism of Israel’ not antisemitism

Torching synagogue is ‘criticism of Israel’ not antisemitism

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Re: Torching synagogue is ‘criticism of Israel’ not antisemitism

Re: Torching synagogue is ‘criticism of Israel’ not antisemitism