Germany’s approach to Israel, Palestine and the war in Gaza is often explained and justified with the undefined “German Staatsräson”. Politicians, journalists and experts use the term to underpin their own ideas and interests – raison d’état has thus become a projection surface.
For Palestinians and Israelis living in Germany, as well as Muslims and Jews, however, the Staatsräson debate has serious implications. We want to understand how their lives, their relationships with each other and their relationship with the state are affected. And we want to talk about the role that Staatsräson plays in the German debate on anti-Semitism, racism and antimigrant sentiment.
What can minorities and critical voices in society do to create open and safe spaces for discourse and fill them with content? How can they defend themselves against unwanted appropriation and prevent being played off against each other as supposedly homogeneous groups? How can they contribute to recognizing and jointly combating the problem of increasing racism and right-wing extremism in Germany? Wie können sie dazu beitragen, das Problem des zunehmenden Rassismus und Rechtsextremismus in Deutschland zu erkennen und gemeinsam zu bekämpfen?
We want to take a first step on this evening – out of the impasse in which the Middle East debate in Germany has been stuck for months, and into a respectful and appreciative discussion that tolerates different opinions and perceptions while at the same time focusing on the rights of all.
with: Stephan Detjen, Deborah Feldman, Prof. Dr. Uffa Jensen und Dr. Nahed Samour
Moderation: Kristin Helberg
