The left has always stood for liberation, solidarity, and the struggle against oppression. Central to leftist values is the commitment to justice for all people, especially those who are marginalized, disenfranchised, and brutalized by systemic power structures. Yet, within leftist spaces, a dangerous faction known as the “Anti-Germans” has emerged, advocating for positions that undermine these core principles. The most glaring example of this is their support for Israeli state violence against Palestinians, often under the guise of fighting antisemitism. This misguided stance not only alienates the global left but also perpetuates oppression, particularly against Palestinians. Anti-Germans, with their imperialist apologetics and selective empathy, have no place in spaces dedicated to universal human rights.
Who Are the Anti-Germans?
The Anti-Germans (Antideutsche) are a political group that emerged in post-unification Germany, initially rooted in a critique of German nationalism. Over time, however, this faction has distorted its focus, equating any criticism of Israeli policy with antisemitism, and adopting an uncritical defense of Israel—even in its violent, oppressive actions against Palestinians. For them, the horrors of the Holocaust justify unwavering support for Israel, regardless of the country’s ongoing human rights violations. But equating the modern Israeli state with Jewish people as a whole is not only reductive but also dangerously ignores the lived realities of Palestinians.
The Issue with Anti-Germans in Leftist Spaces
Leftism, at its core, is about fighting for the oppressed. It’s about dismantling the systems that uphold imperialism, capitalism, and colonialism. The Anti-Germans, however, often adopt positions that are starkly imperialist. By defending Israeli state actions without question, they turn a blind eye to the ethnic cleansing, apartheid policies, and military occupation that Palestinians endure on a daily basis. Their ideology seeks to obscure and delegitimize the Palestinian struggle for liberation, equating it with antisemitism—when in fact, many Palestinians and their supporters stand in solidarity with Jewish people against both Zionism and antisemitism.
The notion that supporting Palestinian liberation equates to supporting terrorism or hating Jewish people is not only false but also dangerous. This narrative erases the legitimate grievances of the Palestinian people, whose land has been colonized, whose homes have been demolished, and whose lives have been taken by a settler-colonial state with significant backing from global powers. Leftists cannot and should not ignore this reality. To support Palestinian liberation is not to deny the horrors of the Holocaust or to be antisemitic. It is, rather, a stance against ongoing oppression, much like leftists oppose other forms of colonialism, apartheid, and state violence across the world.
The Palestinian Struggle as an Anti-Imperialist Struggle
To stand for Palestinian rights is to stand against imperialism, apartheid, and the violence of settler-colonialism. Palestinians are fighting for their right to exist, to live in dignity, and to be free from occupation. Israel’s ongoing actions—whether it’s the building of illegal settlements, the bombing of Gaza, or the collective punishment of Palestinians—are a gross violation of human rights and international law. Supporting these actions, as the Anti-Germans often do, is incompatible with leftist values.
It is important to remember that leftist solidarity is global and intersectional. We cannot pick and choose whose oppression we condemn. Just as the left rallies against police brutality in the United States, or against the war crimes committed in Iraq or Afghanistan, so too must we rally against the violence faced by Palestinians. Anti-Germans, however, take an exclusionary approach, championing some forms of justice while dismissing others. This is selective empathy at its worst and has no place in spaces that claim to fight for universal human rights.
Palestinian Lives Matter
The violence Palestinians face is undeniable. Since the Nakba in 1948, over 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from their homes, and today, millions more live under brutal occupation or in refugee camps. Gaza, often described as the world’s largest open-air prison, is subjected to periodic bombardments by Israel. Meanwhile, the West Bank is carved up by illegal settlements, military checkpoints, and walls that divide Palestinian communities. The situation is dire, and it is a moral imperative for leftists to stand with those who suffer under such conditions.
Just as we say “Black Lives Matter” in the fight against systemic racism, we must also say “Palestinian Lives Matter” in the fight against Israeli apartheid. Anti-Germans, by aligning themselves with the oppressor in this conflict, are fundamentally at odds with this struggle for justice. Their presence in leftist spaces serves to undermine true solidarity, disrupt the fight for global liberation, and silence the voices of those calling for an end to Israeli occupation.
Conclusion: No Place for Anti-Germans
Leftist spaces must be places of solidarity, liberation, and anti-imperialism. The Anti-German position, with its blind support for Israeli state violence, stands in direct opposition to these principles. By defending the oppressor, they alienate themselves from the global fight for justice. There is no room for selective empathy in leftist movements—whether that be for Palestinians, Indigenous peoples, or any other oppressed group.
The left must take a clear and unequivocal stance: Palestinian liberation is a human rights issue, not a controversial side debate. And those who defend oppression, under whatever guise, have no place in the movement for justice and equality. Anti-Germans, by perpetuating the suffering of Palestinians, disqualify themselves from leftist spaces dedicated to true liberation.
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