Nearly eight decades after the Holocaust, Germany has raised its voice against the anti-Israeli sentiment! Many in the diplomatic circles are surprised to see the way Germany has come to support the Jewish Nation.

Berlin has made it clear that anyone who will post or share the slogan ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free‘ on social media shall be denied German citizenship! Even those who will like or comment on social media posts with this slogan shall lose their German citizenship! In other words, no one can express solidarity with Palestine.

Anadolu, the state-run news agency of Turkey, has reported that the Olaf Scholz Administration recently made an announcement in this regard through North German Radio and Television (NDR). As per the new regulations by the German Interior Ministry, people living in the Western European country shall lose their German citizenship for using this slogan. The Government of Chancellor Scholz has tightened Citizenship Laws to end the growing anti-Semitism and discrimination.

Interestingly, the slogan has circulated among English speaking people expressing solidarity with Palestine since at least the 1990s. Israel is bordered by Lebanon and Syria to the north, the West Bank and the Jordan River to the east, the Gaza Strip and Egypt to the southwest, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. The slogan ‘From the River to the Sea‘ is actually a demand for Palestinian occupation of the territory stretching from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. Hence, the Jewish Nation thinks that this (Palestinian) slogan actually denies its existence!

Time and again, Israel has condemned this slogan and created counter slogans. Now, Germany has joined the chorus by implementing new rules. However, these rules will not be applicable to permanent residents of Germany. Instead, those, live in Germany for employment or study purposes and plan to apply for citizenship, will have to follow the rule. Previously, foreigners working in Germany could apply for German citizenship after working there for eight years. The period has been reduced to five years under the new Citizenship Law.

According to a specific clause in the Citizenship Law, individuals who violate the commitment to democratic values and historical responsibility towards Jewish life, such as by denying the Holocaust or promoting violence against Israel, will not be eligible for German citizenship! Commenting on the issue, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stressed: “If you don’t share our values, you can’t get a German passport. We have drawn a crystal-clear red line here.”

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das