Essays
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Support for Palestine in GermanyA nation gripped by moral panic
The Bundestag has passed a new resolution against antisemitism, which critics warn could endanger freedom of expression. Sociologist Donatella della Porta examines recent debates on antisemitism in Germany, arguing that a moral panic has resulted in the construction of an administrative apparatus that suppresses progressive voices.
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The rise of Israel's religious nationalist sectPolitical Islam, political Judaism
The 7 October Hamas attacks fanned the flames of a movement already virulent in Israel. Ever since, religious nationalists have been consolidating their influence. In Germany, where politicians prefer to focus solely on the dangers of Islamism, it is easier to ignore such developments
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War in GazaWhen children are seen as the enemy
A racist view of Palestinian children contributes to an acceptance of the fact that they are dying in their thousands in Gaza
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The Middle East's cosmopolitan traditionBack to a Levantine future?
As regional and global problems rise, the once mixed cities of the Eastern Mediterranean may offer ideas for how we can escape our distress
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Death sentence for Rapper ToomajTehran's legitimacy crisis
The rapper Toomaj Salehi has been sentenced to death in Iran. His case shows how the regime is fighting to maintain its power, and against whom
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Middle East debate in GermanyThe bell of Gaza
With its fossilised premise of "raison d'etat" Germany is damaging itself. It is time for change – for constructive partnership in a concerted effort to overcome the Israeli-Palestinian catastrophe
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Middle East: Is there a solution to the endless conflict?Welcome to Abraham/Ibrahim
Who invented it? The Swiss. Why it might be worth looking to the Swiss Confederation in the search for a solution to the Middle East conflict
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Prospects for peace in the Middle EastThe search for the Middle East formula
Without rights for the Palestinians, there can be neither security for Israelis nor stability in the Middle East. There are four possible future scenarios
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War propaganda in Israel and the Arab worldSpewing poison in both directions
In addition to the actual warfare in Gaza, another, lesser known burden is weighing on the prospects for a better future in the Middle East. Influential media channels are lending support to the most radical forces on both sides of the conflict
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German academia and the war in GazaUniversities must remain places of dialogue
Discussions about the Middle East conflict naturally tend towards polarisation. In Germany, showing empathy for victims of political violence in Israel while drawing attention to the suffering of Gazan and West Bank Palestinians, who bear the brunt of any major confrontation, is a tricky balancing act