2023-10-16 15:00:41
The current Office for the Protection of the Constitution report states that “current developments in the Middle East” will continue to offer “high mobilization potential for Islamist individuals and organizations” in Germany and can lead to an increase in anti-Semitic incidents. The term “developments” may not fit Hamas’s brutal terrorist attack on Israel.
But the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution correctly predicted the consequences: the mobilization of Islamists in Germany, an increase in anti-Semitic crimes, including widespread incitement. At so-called solidarity rallies for Hamas last week, not only sweet pastries were distributed, but also anti-Israel and anti-Semitic slogans were shouted and the barbaric attack was celebrated.
On Monday, Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution Thomas Haldenwang had the opportunity to comment on the new situation. The Parliamentary Control Committee met for the annual public hearing of the heads of the intelligence services. Haldenwang called the Hamas attack another example “of the direct impact of crises on Germany’s security interests.”
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution has long been warning about the dangers posed by anti-Semitic and anti-Israel activities. Anti-Semitism and hostility to Israel are part of the DNA of Islamist organizations, said Haldenwang. It is important that “the state shows itself to be defensive at this point”.
Head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution Haldenwang, MAD boss Rosenberg and BND boss Kahl on Monday in Berlin: Image: dpa
Haldenwang described the ban on Hamas’ activities and the ban on the pro-Palestinian network Samidoun as “necessary” and said it was the “logical consequence of our knowledge” after the Hamas attack. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) announced these decisions in his government statement last Thursday.
Enforcing the bans is primarily the task of the police, but Haldenwang emphasized the role of his authority: “We are working with all available capacities to ensure that the measures are implemented as quickly as possible.” There is a “longer list” of other organizations, that would be considered for bans. But Haldenwang did not want to name the organizations in the public hearing on Thursday, “because I don’t want to warn everyone,” as he said.
When asked by a member of parliament whether Jews in Germany were at risk in view of Islamist activities, Haldenwang said that there was no “concrete danger” but that there was an “abstract high risk for people of the Jewish faith”, which is why the police are currently ensuring increased protection for Jews Facilities.
Franca Wittenbrink, Tel Aviv Published/Updated: Recommendations: 54 Helene Bubrowski Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 19 Hans-Christian Rößler, Christoph Ehrhardt, Helene Bubrowski Published/Updated: Recommendations: 8
Bruno Kahl, President of the Federal Intelligence Service, also spoke about the challenges that the outbreak of violence in the Middle East poses for the services. The Hamas attack, along with the war in Ukraine, is evidence that the international order is being “aggressively questioned” and that “interstate war has returned to Europe as a means of asserting interests.”
The effects of this new war on the stability of the region cannot yet be foreseen, said Kahl. “If the situation escalates further, there is a risk of a conflagration with effects that will reach far beyond the Middle East.” Martina Rosenberg, President of the Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD), said: “The terrorist attacks on Israel show once again that security today is not a given.” All areas of work are currently under heavy strain due to “the volatile security situation”.
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