“One-sided positioning” – uproar over criticism of Israel at Berlinale
Published: Monday, Feb 26th 2024, 16:52
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Statements critical of Israel at the closing gala of the Berlinale have reignited the debate about how the cultural scene deals with the Middle East conflict. Reproaches and criticism of the statements made by the filmmakers themselves hailed from politicians and associations.
Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth from the Green Party announced on Monday that she would have the incidents investigated. During the gala on Saturday evening, the Middle East conflict was brought up several times. Numerous members of the jury and award winners called for a ceasefire in the Gaza war, either verbally or by wearing badges. At the end of his acceptance speech for an award, US director Ben Russell spoke of a genocide.
Scholz condemns "one-sided positioning"
Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the statements critical of Israel on Monday. Scholz agrees "that such a one-sided position cannot be allowed to stand," said a government spokeswoman. In any debate on this topic, it is important to keep in mind what triggered this renewed escalation of the conflict - namely the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.
At the gala, Israeli filmmaker Yuval Abraham, who was honored together with the Palestinian Basel Adra in an Israeli-Palestinian collective for the film "No Other Land" about the settlement policy in the West Bank, spoke of the politics of apartheid. "In two days, we will return to a country where we are not equal," said Abraham. "I can move freely in the country, Basel is locked up in the West Bank like millions of Palestinians. This situation of apartheid between us, this inequality must come to an end."
According to Abraham, he has since received death threats. "It is very, very difficult for me to celebrate while tens of thousands of my people are being killed in Gaza right now," Adra said on stage. "Here in Berlin and in Germany, I would like to point out that the United Nations has launched a call for no more weapons to be supplied to Israel. And I want to support that."
Söder: "Anti-Semitism in this form in culture is frightening for us."
There was much cross-party criticism from politicians. CSU leader Markus Söder said in Munich: "Anti-Semitism in this form in culture is appalling for us." Like many other politicians, he also criticized Minister of State for Culture Roth, who, like Berlin's Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU), was sitting in the gala audience. The Berlinale is supported by the federal government and funded by the state.
In the view of the Central Council of Jews, "once again one of the most important cultural events in Germany has been misused for ideological agitation against Israel and Jews". Two years ago at documenta fifteen, there were fierce disputes over anti-Semitic works of art.
Berlinale: "We explicitly oppose discrimination and all forms of hatred"
At the time, the management reacted only hesitantly. The Berlinale management reacted the day after the award ceremony. "We explicitly oppose discrimination and all forms of hatred," it said. Statements made by award winners are independent individual opinions. "They in no way reflect the position of the festival." The Berlinale also distanced itself from an anti-Israel Instagram post that had previously been published on a Berlinale series account. The Instagram channel had been hacked and the posts deleted immediately. The Berlinale has filed criminal charges against unknown persons.
Roth announces reappraisal
Roth announced an investigation into the incidents. Together with Wegner, the incidents should be dealt with. Roth also wants to clarify "how it can be ensured in future that the Berlinale is a place that is free from hatred, incitement, anti-Semitism, racism, hostility towards Muslims and all forms of misanthropy".
"The statements at the Berlinale Bear Awards on Saturday evening were frighteningly one-sided and characterized by a profound hatred of Israel," said Roth. The Hamas terror attack and the suffering of the hostages were only clearly addressed by festival director Mariette Rissenbeek.
Roth announced that her company would be holding talks with the outgoing management duo from Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian. Roth is also in talks with the future director Tricia Tuttle, who will take office in April. The artistic freedom and independence of the Berlinale must not be compromised.
Meron Mendel: "We must learn to endure such debates"
The director of the Anne Frank Educational Center, Meron Mendel, warned against a culture of prohibition in light of the debate. "Whether we like it or not, we must learn to endure such debates. It won't work any other way," Mendel told dpa. A culture of prohibition and attempts to regulate everything by politicians would not work.
The debate is being conducted emotionally in many places. Here, it goes hand in hand with specifically German history and especially with the Holocaust. "That's why we have an area of tension between political positioning, such as the commitment to a German raison d'état on Israel, and a cultural sector in which anti-Israeli to anti-Israeli positions are supported by large parts of the community," said Mendel.
"The fact that the winners of the various awards use the stage for symbols or speeches to make political statements can be seen as good or bad." It is very difficult for the organization of the Berlinale to intervene. "Such ideas are unrealistic and would not have made the situation any better."
In his experience, such debates do more harm than good in the fight against anti-Semitism. "It would be wrong to label all those who criticize Israel one-sidedly and sometimes with radical positions as anti-Semites."
Mendel also warned against exclusion. "We are fighting an ideology of boycotting the state of Israel. Now attempts are being made to counter this with exactly the same means, namely boycotting those who unilaterally criticize Israel. The answer to boycott cannot be boycott. The answer to boycott can only be encounter, discourse and debate."
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