Dear family and friends, who do not speak German. It is no real pleasure to condense my views and commentaries on Israel and the Gaza and the region and global actions and reactions. And and and…But it does not help closing the eyes and ears, reality is penetrating all senses and thoughts, day and night.

October 7, 2023, was a terrible day. Its reality was bad enough, but the events created also an aura of almost unreal comparisons (e.g. 9/11/38) and made almost all actions in the context double bond. Germany reacted, as always, differently from almost all other societies, because of the permanent restructuring the post-1945 development and successful learning and … despite the fact that anti-semitism has grown immensely, and that right-wing and fascist movements are developing even faster than in many other European countries. Within the Jewish communities and organizations in Germany, and also between the Germans and the Jews there are increasing rifts and conflicts. This is not new, and it can be explained. But communication on the socials and private levels is deficient. The parliament, as an example, has produced an anti-anti-semitic resolution that was supported on the one side by one right wing party and still is being heavily critized by Jewish and other organizations and intellectuals for being the opposite of the intended pro-Jewish unfication of democrats (cf. Vera Weidenbach, Ha’aretz Nov. 7). Over most of the last year there is a hefty antagonism between those who support the Jewish people of Israel and the intention to create a two-state solution in order to regain peace, and the increasing conflict between supporters and critics of Netanjahu and his partially fascist government. A famous politician of the 1968 period, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, has uttered just recently how much it does hurt him, when Jews are fascists (in Israel).(FAZ Nov. 8). The situation of Israel is more than one among many points of conflict, because Israel as a possible last aim of rescue for Jews is in danger. For many reasons, both externally (complete annihilation) and internally (becoming a fascist state no longer open to Jewish immigration and refugees).

Israeli Hostage’s Father: ‚We’re Second-class Citizens in a Fascist Country‘

Liza Rozovsky  Ha’aretz 14/11/2024

This situation makes it difficult and urgent at once to reflect the „real reality“ in Israel and the whole region and its political outposts and open and hidden actors. On the other side, without learning (again) the history of what has happened and why during the last 100, 50, 30, 5 years…makes it difficult to understand anything of the conflicts within the Jewish and the Palestinian people, and between them.

The situation in the USA, as one main actor, does not make things easier since the crazy victory of Donald Trump, which does also the split the Jewish and the Muslim people in the US. We really have no idea how Trump will act on behalf of Israel, of Jews, of peace. (Or do we, and are afraid of what we foresee?).

The events after October 7 have indeed changed the structure of Jewish people, everywhere, and in Germany. Now its too late to regret all the ignorance and superficiality with which the questions of peace in the region, the critique and support of Israel and the Palestinians etc. have been pushed into the corner. But there are only a few signs that politics become awake. And I am afraid that the danger of Israel simply disappearing from the world map has become bigger than ever. That is no good perspectives for those who find Israel as their last resort and for those who do not want to settle in a country dominated by fascists and outlaw settlers on the one side, while the attacks and hostility by Hamas, Hizbollah and other neighbors is growing and will not be diminished by military perpetuation.

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Since I have many Jewish members of my family and many friends in Israel, I was also emotionally engaged, of course, before October 7, and in a very different way afterwards. But in this complex ideological battleground, I thought the best solution for me would be to stay in touch with my friends in Israel and to create an aura of rationality around me: I held a seminar at the University, about the history of Israel and region between 1896 and October 6, 2023 – not many students, but interested and not aggressive ones. I have been adding some posts to my permanent communication michaeldaxner.com and I am giving some public lectures or preparing them. The real difficulty is not to stumble into one of the many ideological traps. And if you love Israel, like me, and if you prefer two democratic nations or states in a confederation or two-states-unit, neither religion nor ethnic prejudice should be allowed to produce future politics – the present policies are sad enough

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Of course, this is just a superficial commentary on the view on Israel and region. I am reading Ha’aretz and listening to BBC and get information by my friends in Israel, and read and re-read books on the history of Israel. YOU do probably the same, and I am sure that many of the texts are the same. I am writing this short commentary on the present reaction to the events in Israel and Palestine, because I have the impression that many people – also many politicians – do lack empathy and insight into the human feelings and reactions after October 7, and concentrate too much on what happened since. I want to follow Omri Boehm (2023) who claims that we should not fight for the „really“ right truth among controversial truths, but insist on a higher instance, that is justice in the sense of righteousness. This is complicated and not easy to understand that there will be no shared truth between Israeli Jews and Palestiniens…but we must go ahead.