Activities

Criminal complaint against an anti-Semitic hate-site / Limits of the Network Enforcement act / Need to reform

The WerteInitiative – jewish-german positions has filed a criminal complaint against the operator of the website “www.judas.watch”. We have further informed and been in consultation with the federal commissioner for combatting antisemitism, Dr. Felix Klein, and the anti-semitism commissioner at the Prosecutor’s Office Berlin, Claudia Vanoni, who are also involved in this case. For said purpose we had handed over our detailed research files to the prosecutor. The proceedings were stopped.

In the course of our political work we were made aware of the website “www.judas.watch.” In their own words, the purpose of the website is to call out “anti-white traitors, agitators and subversives” by name and run a kind of public database on them. The listed persons are sorted by field of activity and country.

The site is also explicitly anti-semitic, because it wants to show the “Jewish influence” in the world. It lists Jews by name and marks them with a yellow star of David in front of their name. The website lists activities as well as alleged or actual relations of the individual persons and organizations amongst each other and wants to thereby show, how much influence Jews allegedly have behind the scenes- also in Germany.

A site like this poses a direct threat with incalculable consequences for all named persons – but especially for the specially labelled Jews. In its entirety it fills the offense of sedition (acc. to German Law).

In addition to the criminal complaints of individually affected Jewish Germans who are of those listed on the website, the “WerteInitiative”, being a civic association of Jewish Germans with a wider outreach into the Jewish Community, wants its complaint to add an additional institutionalised weight to the concerns. We want the page to be blocked – at least in Germany, and the operators subjected to criminal prosecution, if possible.

Furthermore, after many months of gaining experiences with the German “Network Enforcement Act”, we find that it has to be revised and amended. We are not only concerned with the individuals affected by hatred and hate speech, but we also need to, from a Jewish perspective,  render our coexistence more secure for the general public and to clearly counter forces that are disrupting our society.

Activities

Letter to Mark Zuckerberg

Dear Mr. Zuckerberg,
we are a Jewish-German non-profit organization acting as a civil Jewish voice in German federal politics and society. Having read about your code of conduct in regard to postings that deny the Holocaust, it is important for us to emphasize three aspects:

1.
We understand that the situation is very different in each part of the world. In Germany the situation is absolutely clear: each and every person who denies the Holocaust knows what he or she is doing. Kids learn that at school. Everyone who denies the German massmurder of our ancestors has a specific political intention to do so. Such statements are not covered by the freedom of speech, because they are forbidden by law. So you offering your platform for such use is legally  highly problematic.
 
2. 
What you say counts. You are a celebrity and highly respected by many people. You showing a sensitivity towards Holocaust-denial on the one hand and nevertheless deciding to value the “right to get things wrong” higher on the other hand, sends a fatal message to those who like, believe and even worse, who share and multiply such fake facts. 
Do you want Facebook to be part of sharing fake facts, intentionally or not? Sharing fake facts concerning Holocaust denial also fosters and encourages people who intentionally spread such statements, and who could easily excuse themselves afterwards with “I got it wrong” –  but still the fake facts are out there to be multiplied. You also reach a lot of young people. We believe, the decision of taking Holocaust denial postings off the Facebook platform is definitely a matter of (moral) responsibility, and you should stand to this responsibility.
 
3. 

German and European Jews face an increasing amount of antisemitism which gets more and more violent. This makes us especially alert to any political, social and cultural development which can promote such negative tendencies.

We would be happy to discuss this matter in depth with you or one of your representatives.

To be transparent: we publicise this e-mail and will also do so with your answer (any individual contact-details will be deleted)

Best regards,

Dr. Elio Adler
Vorsitzender der WerteInitiative – jüdisch-deutsche Positionen
Chairman of ValuesInitiative – Jewish-German positions

_______________
WerteInitiative. e.V. jüdisch-deutsche Positionen
Registernr.: VR 36552 B / Registergericht: Amtsgericht Berlin-Charlottenburg
Activities

Jewish News Service in regard to 19.12.2017

“German politicians were careful to say the right words and honor the victims,” Adler said. “They don’t have a defiant kind of attitude that you would find in Israel. It’s more about, ‘We have this burden to carry and we’ll carry it.’”

While the government officials spoke of mistakes that were made, with Berlin Mayor Michael Müller asking for “forgiveness” for the oversights that enabled the 2016 attack, Adler would like to see these words backed by action. He is also uncertain how the government will crack down on the aggressive anti-Israel protests throughout Germany in response to President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.

“They are not prepared for Islamist protests just like they were not prepared for Islamic terror,” Adler said, though he and other Jewish community leaders and commentators are acknowledging that they have seen some improvement in official responses to the recent protests.

http://www.jns.org/latest-articles/2017/12/21/anti-israel-protests-berlin-christmas-market-attacks-anniversary-test-german-officials#.Wj6N_ob42Um=

Activities

Jewish positions on elections of the German Bundestag (Federal Parliament) 2017

 

1.     Free and democratic “Leitkultur”

The values which decisively shaped the German Basic Law (constitution equivalent), the traditions and conventionalities are Judaeo-Christian and have led to a free and democratic guiding culture. Everyone living here, who accepts this guiding culture is part of society. Society enables the individual to freely fulfil their personal needs and carry out their personal goals, as long as these do not oppose to others, society or the law.

We would like Germany to be part of a vital European Union.

2.     The state as a neutral constitutional state

It is the state’s role to protect this free, democratic “Leitkultur”. This task also entails guaranteeing external, internal and social security for its citizens. We have great trust in the constitutional state and its ability to balance between security and maintaining individual civil rights and liberties. The constitutional state should be defensive. Those who do not accept its guiding culture should be sanctioned, or – if possible – expelled from the country.

The constitutional state’s strength depends on three components: 1. being in the possession of sanctioning mechanisms, 2. these mechanisms being known to the addressees and 3. the credible application of these mechanisms.

The state should maintain its division from religious institutions. No religion should have separate prayer rooms in public buildings and – apart from religion classes – no exceptions should be made from the curriculum in public schools.

3.     Jewish religion

There has been Jewish life in Germany for more than 1500 years. Judaism is part of the German culture and the federal state fully supports its continued existence and its prospering within its guiding culture. German Jews see themselves as loyal German citizens and call Germany their home. As per self-definition, Judaism does not have a missionary tendency and has no aspirations to change social interaction.

4.     Israel

Many Jews deem Israel their spiritual home. The special bond between Germany and the democratic Jewish State of Israel is based on history; today it is, however, mainly characterized by the shared values of both democracies as well as the similar social, economic and security issues in both countries.

We expect Germany to provide Israel with solidarity and support in the peace process and to understand that fulfilling the Palestinian wish for self-determination must not lead to further threats of Israel’s security. Apart from radical Islamic groups, Iran is the biggest threat for Israel and the free world; it should be met with strength and not with appeasement.

5.     Treatment of political Islam

The increasing influence of Islamic organisations and associations which want to give the religion a political dimension or whose values are not consistent with the Basic Law is not only worrying for Jewish Germans.

The state should apply more stringent criteria for cooperation and support. Organisations, associations and mosques, which do not unconditionally stand behind democracy and human rights should be prohibited, closed and if necessary, prosecuted. Treaties can only be concluded in line with strict provisions. Financial and directional influencing by foreign governments of German organisations and groups of people should be strictly prohibited.

6.     Prevention of “collateral damage”

In the course of safeguarding against political Islam and dismantling parallel societies, it is necessary to resolutely enforce the principal of equality before the law. There must not be any lawless areas. However, this must not lead to inappropriate levelling down.

a) Circumcision & Shechita

Jewish circumcision and kosher slaughtering (Shechita) are constituting components of Jewish religion. Their conditions and circumstances are sufficiently governed already.

b) Dual nationality

Albeit there being many reasons why a person should only have one nationality, in certain cases, holding two nationalities should be possible. Such cases should be judged carefully . Historically speaking, Jews are connected to several countries. Such sound judgement would be advisable in the case of e.g. German-Israeli citizens. Individual assessments should also take into consideration legal and technical reasons.

7.     Anti-Semitism

Rightly so, the battle against classic anti-Semitism (e.g. economic, political and journalistic conspiracy theories) are political consensus. “Criticism of Israel”, “anti-Zionism” and the “BDS movement”, characterized by double standards, however, are the same form of hatred in a different guise. There should be no room for this. Therefore we call for prevention through education and information and condemnation of anti-Semitic incidents and statements.

8.     Radicalism

Any form of division of society should be counteracted. We find the spreading of hatred vis-à-vis dissidents and minorities – as well as the contempt of some for the social form of our free-democratic coexistence – intolerable.

We demand that the established democratic parties and our government take on these problems.

 

On our own account: The listed signatories to the position paper were involved in its creation on different levels and are deeming these postion as a common expression of opinion. They are known to the initiators. The acceptance as supporter took place without evaluation and was possible until the moment of receipt of the last partisan response.

 

List of signatories followed by a list of supporters: see German version.