If you criticise Israel in Germany, you are an antisemite. If you don't answer the new Israel-connected questions in the citizenship test correctly, you might be denied citizenship.
I ask myself: is Germany still a democracy...?
(the questions
have been added to the test AFTER october 7 and the start of the genocide....)
So what if a Jewish person criticizes Israel on the citizenship test? Are they still Antisemitic? It seems so backwards, Israel has managed to convince people that Jewish/ Zionist/ Israeli are all one entity.
It is entirely possible to be against Netanyahu/Trump and this obscene... (and in the case of America ILLEGAL) Mid East war and NOT be antisemitic. Period. End of story.
Eliminating criticism of any country or political movement is part of the attempt to control all of the information flow in this country. Criticism of our golden leader is already being constrained.
About 8 years ago I was accused of being anti-Semitic for speaking out in support of Islam and Palestine. That accusation cost me a lot. We are not free. Not in the least.
People should absolutely be free to criticize any government, including Israel, Germany, the United States, and Great Britain. But criticism of a government should never turn into hatred toward Jewish people. We can protect free speech while still drawing a clear line against antisemitism.
Perfect article...thank you. The next big question is which Democrat running for President will be willing to defund Israel and reinstate free speach. Newsom only a week ago said " I think maybe Israel is an apartide country"...this man is not a serious candidate. So AOC has to be it, unless someone emerges that I have not seen yet.
While both political parties rely on business corporations and single interest groups to finance election campaigns, there will never be objective truth or honesty in American politics.
I will never be complicit by keeping quiet about Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian land and its genocide of the Palestinian people. The atrocities carried out by Netanyahu’s regime have been paid for by Trillions of USA tax dollars, and I’m not keeping quiet about that either. Waging war on innocent people is wrong; genocide is wrong; ethnic cleansing is wrong. We need to say this loudly and clearly no matter where we come from or which group we belong to, regardless of consequence to ourselves. Self respect and self esteem demand we speak out against the injustices we see around us. Nothing else will do.
The short term question right now, is whether both the U.S. and Israel will be able to continue to financially prosecute this war. Israel can't do it without the U.S. and the U.S. is fast running out of long range munitions and the money to make more. What happens once the tech weapons stocks run out? Will the U.S. and Israel start flying bombers and fighters close enough for the Iranians to start shooting some of them down? How many F-35's and B2's can this pair afford to lose?
The lies being told by the U.S. and Israel about Iran not having any war materials to defend themselves are being revealed a little at a time. How far are the U.S. and Israel prepared to go to get what they want?
Senator Lindsey Graham told U.S. news media last Sunday that it's all about the U.S. and Israel controlling a third of the world's oil supply. To choke off China and anyone else who doesn't want to pay them. "We stand to make millions" he exclaimed. That's the real truth about why the U.S. president is telling everyone that higher petrol prices at the pumps are a worthy sacrifice. Why they went to war. All of us consumers around the world need to sacrifice so Trump and his oligarchs can make millions from the suffering and our sacrifice. All so they can control a third of the world's oil supply between Venezuela and Iran. If the U.S. and Israel can control the Straits of Hormuz from the shores of Iran, imagine the transit taxes they will impose on the rest of the world's shipping? Yes, they would make billions for themselves at our expense.
I hope the Iranians spank Israel real hard soon and the U.S. cries uncle when they run out of long range missiles.
People, well informed as you are, do not seem to see that deep anti-semitism from imperialist nations and the Christian right seem to be drawing attacks from Islamic and indigenous nations, to other similar nations, after failed attempts at USA wars, backed by Euopean allies have failed to do so. The result will be the highly Jewish, majority-born USA and Eiropean Jews will be decimated, along with any stable Islamic society they might commonly build together with neighbor states. Anit-Muslim and Anti-Jewish forces "win" when these nations and their inhabitants, new and ancient, can no longer live in or control their own lands and resources. Truly an Armagedon for humanity and human and humane history of this region, as their history of civilizations' are destroyed. No one wins a war, even the victors.
Stanley makes a significant point in his conclusion that "it is essential to allow citizens to criticize Israel without fear or sanction", as the Trump fascist regime has done and continues to do. The question left unanswered is why is the anti-democratic Trump regime doing so? There must be something in it for him. He hints at an answer with the following: "There is real risk in stating the truth about Israel in the West; there is no risk at all in stating the truth about Russia in the West. Netanyahu is therefore the one with more power.." we are all to well aware of Trump's malignant narcissistic lust for power and its attendant wealth.Trump's malignant narcissism puts a potential wedge wedge between the antisemetic Putin and Netanyahu. Perhaps, the pro-democracy movement can find a way to capitalize upon that wedge for the movement's success.
Thank-you Jason. It seems to me that simply showing support for Palestinians is considered antisemitic. Come on now....so if I say I love my mother it means I hate my father? These people are deplorable yet they get to run the show. Then they cry victim when the tables are turned. Shameful. It is 2026 and it doesn't seem like we've made much progress in becoming decent human beings.
In recent years, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has placed Iran’s nuclear ambitions at the center of his national security narrative, repeatedly warning that Tehran is on the verge of acquiring a nuclear weapon unless its program is halted. Netanyahu has argued that Iran’s enrichment of uranium and its history of withholding full cooperation with international inspectors justify pre‑emptive action to prevent what he portrays as an existential threat. Critics of this approach have drawn comparisons to the lead‑up to the 2003 Iraq War, when claims of weapons of mass destruction were used to justify invasion, noting that some assertions about Iran’s nuclear capabilities have been contested even by the United States intelligence community and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which have assessed that Iran is not actively building a bomb despite increasing levels of enriched uranium and limited transparency on inspections.
This debate raises a fundamental question about the nature of state power and international security: is the intense focus on Iran’s nuclear potential primarily about safeguarding sovereignty and deterring aggression, or does it reflect a broader drive for dominance that echoes historical precedents of fear‑based justification for conflict? Netanyahu’s rhetoric, steeped in references to both historical threats and biblical legitimacy for Israel’s control over its territory, has resonated with many domestic and international allies, reinforcing a political posture that frames pre‑emptive strength as necessary for survival. At the same time, this emphasis has fueled regional animosity, pushing states like Iran to portray their nuclear efforts as a sovereign right and a deterrent against perceived encirclement. The resulting tension — between claims of defensive necessity and accusations of hegemonic ambition — underscores the deep challenges in reconciling regional security with respect for national self‑determination in a context where historical memory, religious identity, and geopolitical strategy collide.
An excellent article. He did not mention Project Esther, which is a Heritage Foundation plan (an addendum to Project 2025) to dismantle free speech in the United States by first using restrictions on speech about Israel. This is what we've seen with the attempted deportations of college students that were legally studying in the United States. Universities have capitulated. Harvard and Columbia have accepted the IHRA definition of antisemitism, making it possible to discipline students or faculty that criticize Israel. They have also changed several courses that relate to Palestinians. It will be interesting to see if there are any protests against the Iran war on American campuses. I doubt it. Most colleges and universities have taken draconian measures to suppress speech.
If you criticise Israel in Germany, you are an antisemite. If you don't answer the new Israel-connected questions in the citizenship test correctly, you might be denied citizenship.
I ask myself: is Germany still a democracy...?
(the questions
have been added to the test AFTER october 7 and the start of the genocide....)
Now, that is appalling!
So what if a Jewish person criticizes Israel on the citizenship test? Are they still Antisemitic? It seems so backwards, Israel has managed to convince people that Jewish/ Zionist/ Israeli are all one entity.
It is entirely possible to be against Netanyahu/Trump and this obscene... (and in the case of America ILLEGAL) Mid East war and NOT be antisemitic. Period. End of story.
Eliminating criticism of any country or political movement is part of the attempt to control all of the information flow in this country. Criticism of our golden leader is already being constrained.
About 8 years ago I was accused of being anti-Semitic for speaking out in support of Islam and Palestine. That accusation cost me a lot. We are not free. Not in the least.
People should absolutely be free to criticize any government, including Israel, Germany, the United States, and Great Britain. But criticism of a government should never turn into hatred toward Jewish people. We can protect free speech while still drawing a clear line against antisemitism.
Perfect article...thank you. The next big question is which Democrat running for President will be willing to defund Israel and reinstate free speach. Newsom only a week ago said " I think maybe Israel is an apartide country"...this man is not a serious candidate. So AOC has to be it, unless someone emerges that I have not seen yet.
While both political parties rely on business corporations and single interest groups to finance election campaigns, there will never be objective truth or honesty in American politics.
I will never be complicit by keeping quiet about Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian land and its genocide of the Palestinian people. The atrocities carried out by Netanyahu’s regime have been paid for by Trillions of USA tax dollars, and I’m not keeping quiet about that either. Waging war on innocent people is wrong; genocide is wrong; ethnic cleansing is wrong. We need to say this loudly and clearly no matter where we come from or which group we belong to, regardless of consequence to ourselves. Self respect and self esteem demand we speak out against the injustices we see around us. Nothing else will do.
The short term question right now, is whether both the U.S. and Israel will be able to continue to financially prosecute this war. Israel can't do it without the U.S. and the U.S. is fast running out of long range munitions and the money to make more. What happens once the tech weapons stocks run out? Will the U.S. and Israel start flying bombers and fighters close enough for the Iranians to start shooting some of them down? How many F-35's and B2's can this pair afford to lose?
The lies being told by the U.S. and Israel about Iran not having any war materials to defend themselves are being revealed a little at a time. How far are the U.S. and Israel prepared to go to get what they want?
Senator Lindsey Graham told U.S. news media last Sunday that it's all about the U.S. and Israel controlling a third of the world's oil supply. To choke off China and anyone else who doesn't want to pay them. "We stand to make millions" he exclaimed. That's the real truth about why the U.S. president is telling everyone that higher petrol prices at the pumps are a worthy sacrifice. Why they went to war. All of us consumers around the world need to sacrifice so Trump and his oligarchs can make millions from the suffering and our sacrifice. All so they can control a third of the world's oil supply between Venezuela and Iran. If the U.S. and Israel can control the Straits of Hormuz from the shores of Iran, imagine the transit taxes they will impose on the rest of the world's shipping? Yes, they would make billions for themselves at our expense.
I hope the Iranians spank Israel real hard soon and the U.S. cries uncle when they run out of long range missiles.
Netanyahu obviously has kompromat over Trump via the Epstein Files and no doubt other sources too.
Dirt, greed & hubris are a toxic combination- and Trump has all three in spades....
It was always rumored that Trump was Bibi's bitch; now it is clear beyond any shadow of doubt.
Democracies don't commit genocide
People, well informed as you are, do not seem to see that deep anti-semitism from imperialist nations and the Christian right seem to be drawing attacks from Islamic and indigenous nations, to other similar nations, after failed attempts at USA wars, backed by Euopean allies have failed to do so. The result will be the highly Jewish, majority-born USA and Eiropean Jews will be decimated, along with any stable Islamic society they might commonly build together with neighbor states. Anit-Muslim and Anti-Jewish forces "win" when these nations and their inhabitants, new and ancient, can no longer live in or control their own lands and resources. Truly an Armagedon for humanity and human and humane history of this region, as their history of civilizations' are destroyed. No one wins a war, even the victors.
Stanley makes a significant point in his conclusion that "it is essential to allow citizens to criticize Israel without fear or sanction", as the Trump fascist regime has done and continues to do. The question left unanswered is why is the anti-democratic Trump regime doing so? There must be something in it for him. He hints at an answer with the following: "There is real risk in stating the truth about Israel in the West; there is no risk at all in stating the truth about Russia in the West. Netanyahu is therefore the one with more power.." we are all to well aware of Trump's malignant narcissistic lust for power and its attendant wealth.Trump's malignant narcissism puts a potential wedge wedge between the antisemetic Putin and Netanyahu. Perhaps, the pro-democracy movement can find a way to capitalize upon that wedge for the movement's success.
Thank-you Jason. It seems to me that simply showing support for Palestinians is considered antisemitic. Come on now....so if I say I love my mother it means I hate my father? These people are deplorable yet they get to run the show. Then they cry victim when the tables are turned. Shameful. It is 2026 and it doesn't seem like we've made much progress in becoming decent human beings.
In recent years, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has placed Iran’s nuclear ambitions at the center of his national security narrative, repeatedly warning that Tehran is on the verge of acquiring a nuclear weapon unless its program is halted. Netanyahu has argued that Iran’s enrichment of uranium and its history of withholding full cooperation with international inspectors justify pre‑emptive action to prevent what he portrays as an existential threat. Critics of this approach have drawn comparisons to the lead‑up to the 2003 Iraq War, when claims of weapons of mass destruction were used to justify invasion, noting that some assertions about Iran’s nuclear capabilities have been contested even by the United States intelligence community and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which have assessed that Iran is not actively building a bomb despite increasing levels of enriched uranium and limited transparency on inspections.
This debate raises a fundamental question about the nature of state power and international security: is the intense focus on Iran’s nuclear potential primarily about safeguarding sovereignty and deterring aggression, or does it reflect a broader drive for dominance that echoes historical precedents of fear‑based justification for conflict? Netanyahu’s rhetoric, steeped in references to both historical threats and biblical legitimacy for Israel’s control over its territory, has resonated with many domestic and international allies, reinforcing a political posture that frames pre‑emptive strength as necessary for survival. At the same time, this emphasis has fueled regional animosity, pushing states like Iran to portray their nuclear efforts as a sovereign right and a deterrent against perceived encirclement. The resulting tension — between claims of defensive necessity and accusations of hegemonic ambition — underscores the deep challenges in reconciling regional security with respect for national self‑determination in a context where historical memory, religious identity, and geopolitical strategy collide.
An excellent article. He did not mention Project Esther, which is a Heritage Foundation plan (an addendum to Project 2025) to dismantle free speech in the United States by first using restrictions on speech about Israel. This is what we've seen with the attempted deportations of college students that were legally studying in the United States. Universities have capitulated. Harvard and Columbia have accepted the IHRA definition of antisemitism, making it possible to discipline students or faculty that criticize Israel. They have also changed several courses that relate to Palestinians. It will be interesting to see if there are any protests against the Iran war on American campuses. I doubt it. Most colleges and universities have taken draconian measures to suppress speech.