No other issue has proved as polarizing in Germany as the Middle-East conflict and the relationship to Israel/Palestine. The attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, which caused the deaths of more than 1,200 people and led to over 200 others being taken hostage, and the ensuing war waged by Israel against Hamas in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands of civilians, have led to an escalation not only of the violence in the region but also of the debate in Germany: in the political arena, on the street, at universities, in the arts and the media.

These debates in Germany are, of course, overshadowed by the legacies of Auschwitz and Germany’s historical responsibility toward Israel. Against this backdrop, questions about empathy and solidarity with Israel or the Palestinians, about freedom of expression and freedom of art, about the boundaries between legitimate criticism of Israel and antisemitism or the legitimacy of “pro-Palestinian” positions are being discussed.

What challenges does this create for journalistic reporting and analyses aimed at the German public? As part of the Akademie Forum series, Jacob Eder discusses current developments, German positions and options as well as the state and unique circumstances of the German discourse about the conflict with journalists Alena Jabarine and Sonja Zekri.

Alena Jabarine studied political science and international relations. Following a traineeship at Germany’s NDR public radio and television, she has been active as a freelance journalist, including for the STRG_F program on the online news outlet Funk. From 2020 to 2022, she worked for a German political foundation in Ramallah und began covering the political reality and everyday life of people in the occupied West Bank on Instagram. Jabarine’s family lives in Israel; she holds German and Israeli citizenship.

Sonja Zekri was born in Dortmund and studied history and Slavic studies in Bochum. Since 2001 she has worked for Süddeutsche Zeitung, mostly contributing to the arts (feuilleton) section, which she co-headed with Andrian Kreye between 2015 and 2020. She has lived in Moscow and Cairo and is currently a culture correspondent for Süddeutsche Zeitung in Berlin.

Presented in German
Featuring a musical performance by Danielle Akta (cello) and Joseph Protze (percussion)