The German far-left party Die Linke (The Left) is once again at the center of a controversy over antisemitism after slogans against Israel and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were chanted during a campaign event in Berlin-Neukölln.
The episode, which occurred at the end of August, reignited the debate about the positions of certain sectors of the German left regarding Israel and antisemitism. The controversy is particularly relevant because within Die Linke coexist sectors that explicitly condemn antisemitism alongside strongly pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist currents.
“Yalla Yalla Intifada” and “death to the IDF”
The most recent incident occurred during an electoral event organized by Die Linke in Neukölln. The rapper Dahabflex was invited to participate and during his performance, he played his song “Stop the Genocide.”
During the performance, slogans such as “Yalla Yalla Intifada” and “Death to the IDF” were heard. The Berlin police opened an investigation to determine whether some of the expressions uttered during the event could constitute a crime.
The case generated strong criticism because the local leaders of Die Linke present at the event did not intervene during the slogans. The party's main candidate in Berlin, Elif Eralp, later distanced herself from what happened and described the performance as a mistake.
Antisemitism within sectors of Die Linke
The controversy is not limited to a musical performance. The problem facing Die Linke is the existence of internal sectors that maintain positions considered hostile towards Israel and that, in certain cases, use rhetoric that can lead to antisemitism.
The 2024 report from the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution of Germany noted that certain sectors of the German radical left maintain anti-Israeli and anti-Zionist positions, and that solidarity with Palestine constitutes an important area of mobilization for radical left groups. The agency also documented the participation of German left-wing extremists in protests related to the Middle East conflict.
The same office distinguishes between legitimate criticism of Israel and positions that may constitute antisemitism or affect the constitutional order. This distinction is crucial: questioning the policies of a government does not in itself constitute antisemitism, but the demonization of Israel, the use of anti-Jewish stereotypes, or the justification of violence against Israelis and Jews can cross that line.
An internal current generating increasing scrutiny
Within the Berlin structure of Die Linke, there is also the Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft Palästinasolidarität, an internal group dedicated to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. The group has been criticized for its closeness to the BDS movement and for positions considered excessively one-sided regarding Israel.
