Two Al-Jazeera journalists published a Video in which you referenced the Holocaust relatively. The transmitter will leave the authors immediately. The case shows that anti-Semitism in the middle East is no longer a matter of course.
Al-Jazeera responded decided: Two journalists from the Qatari news channel published on its Arabic-language Online pages, a Video, the put in tendentious fashion, with the genocide of the Jews during the Nazi rule apart. The Video has been deleted, the two journalists granted a leave of absence.
The two authors had referred to the genocide as a “Narrative”. This had been picked up “by the Zionist movement”. Due to their access to “financial resources and media outlets” would have you emphasized the Suffering of the Jews, “especially” – although other groups had been followed. “Why,” the two authors in the Video, “the focus is only on you?”
Also, the Video is not, or only conditionally, indicated that the scientific representation of the Holocaust corresponds to the facts. “The gas chambers killing millions of Jews. … So it is told. The truth of the Holocaust is, and how the Zionists benefit from it?”
“Appropriate Response”
The Video had been specially designed for the young users visited page, AJ+, produced. Especially Clips to introduce topics of General offered interest. The aim is that these Al-Jazeera Clips to be shared on other platforms as often as possible. So as many users as possible are to be achieved.
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The station has distanced itself from the Video in all its clarity. “Al-Jazeera rejects the offensive content in any way and points repeatedly to the fact that it tolerated such Material,” said Yaser Bishr, the Executive Director of the digital division of the transmitter. He also demanded that all employees should be committed to an awareness-raising action against prejudice to participate.
The reaction of the transmitter on the Video was appropriate, says the Islamic scholar Sonja Hegasy from the Berlin “Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient” (ZMO). “We should note that a leave of absence is a very drastic measure. It is all well and good that AJ has made a clear statement, because the presentation of the authors distorted the history of the Holocaust in Germany.”
Al-Jazeera was advised by his reporting on the uprisings in the Arab world, often in the criticism. “Here, however, the transmitter shows his professionalism, both on the Arabic – as well as the English channel. This clear reaction also acts contrary to German stereotypes about a supposedly cross-company anti-Semitism in the Arab world,” Hegasy.
Anti-Semitism and the Holocaust
However, there is in Parts of the Arab society is still anti-Semitic reflexes, says the at the London School of Economics and Political Science teaching at the end of historian David Mortadel. These were mainly based on a wrong reading of the story of the founding of Israel. “There are enemies of Israel in many Arab countries, the idea that the Holocaust led to the founding of Israel in 1948. This is, of course, fall short. The Zionist movement is much older. And already in the First world war, the great powers – led by Britain in the Balfour Declaration promises regarding a Jewish state in Palestine made.”
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In addition, the Holocaust in Israeli political discourse since 1948 is of the utmost importance. Israeli politicians of different camps stressed on a regular basis with reference to the Holocaust, that Jews would not be defenseless Victims of mass violence. With this Argument, she legitimized harsh military action against Palestinians. “This leads to the fact that on the Arab side, the impression arises that the Holocaust has taken place, especially in Europe, will need in the conflict-miss. Lump all the Jews to blame, they are instrumentalising the Holocaust, of course, is absurd, and in fact anti-Semitic.”
Added to this is another motive, as Motadel, author of the 2017 published study “For Prophet and leader: The Islamic world and the third Reich”: “in the Middle East – but of course also in other regions of the world – an admiration for Hitler and the national socialists, who comes from a vulgar fascination for the Authoritarian, the strong man, and militarism.”
Tunisia: conflicting signals
For decades, radiated and conflict in the middle East emits far in the Arab world. The Tunisian historian, faced with Habib Kazdaghli in January 2018, the sharp protests among some of his countrymen, as he held in the national library of Tunis, an exhibition about the Holocaust. Demonstrators accused him that he wanted to spread the “myth of genocide” in the Arab world. At the same time, Tunisia is also shown as a tolerant country. So the preparation for the Jewish pilgrimage to the El Ghriba synagogue to run these days on the island of Djerba. Against these jihadist bombers had perpetrated in April 2002 attack, in which 19 people – all tourists – were killed.
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“Increasing sensitivity in the Arab world”
As in Europe, anti-Semitic impulses, so Motadel be found also in the Arab world. You’ll leave with historical evidence only partially address. “Historical facts are selectively used or distorted – everything that doesn’t fit into the world picture is ignored. I am therefore rather sceptical about whether historians can influence the ideological and often highly emotional debates.”
Striking, however, is that in addition, in many cases a serious interest in the history of the Second world war and the Holocaust, and beyond ideological debates. “In order to fight anti – Semitism everywhere – not only in the Arab world-for the long term, the only solution is education. Schools and other educational facilities to children and young people about anti-Semitism – and, more generally, about Stereotypes and prejudices towards minorities – educate and raise awareness. Unfortunately, the Rulers in many Arab countries show no serious interest to do it,” Motadel.
It is true, however, that there is in many Arab countries, there is a growing sensitivity to these issues. “And the Al-Jazeera case shows this clearly.”