2023-11-22 21:56:26
Since the Israeli army began its ground offensive in the Gaza Strip following the Hamas attack on October 7, there have been more and more horrific images on social media.
They are particularly common on TikTok Footage of dead children and civilians, “that were basically bombed away in Gaza,” says Imam Ramazan Demir on “Milborn.” According to Demir, who works as a religious representative at schools, some of the young people were “traumatized” by the images.
Those social media videos would become one “Radicalization of society”, especially young people contribute, adds Rabbi Shlomo Hofmeister. He also advocates for a dialogue with young people in schools. There you have to analyze and discuss the feelings of the young people together.
Protesting without proper understanding
Young people often demonstrate “in the name of a cause that they perhaps don’t understand in detail.” At pro-Palestine demonstrations, you often see Hamas flags, but also rainbow flags or climate activists – “Alliances that make no sense”.
Hofmeister is certain that “99.9 percent of people are taking to the streets for Palestine.” The main disagreements are about how to achieve peace in the Middle East conflict, but not about whether terrorism is good or bad.
“Feeling of discomfort” for Viennese Jews
What is clear, however, is that since the brutal attack by Hamas, anti-Semitic incidents in Austria have increased sharply, as Vienna’s deputy mayor Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS) emphasizes on “Milborn”. Danielle Spera, former director of the Jewish Museum, agrees As a “Jewish woman today I walk through Vienna with a feeling of unease”..
That’s why dialogues with students, like those held by Demir and Hofmeister, are particularly important in order to teach young people how to live in a democracy, says Wiederkehr. He also calls for it own subjectbut this can only be introduced nationwide.
“Catastrophic” conditions in Austria’s schools
Criticism of teaching in Austria then promptly comes from Spera. The conditions are sometimes “catastrophic”.
In a current geography textbook from an HTL Hamas as “an Islamic resistance movement”instead of being referred to as a terrorist organization, Wiederkehr confronts them with the corresponding book page.
PULS 24
The city school board already knows about the matter, and the Ministry of Education also took action. However, Wiederkehr assures: “This needs to be addressed immediately.”
Don’t “bring the Middle East conflict here”
The deputy mayor also emphasizes that consistent action must be taken against anti-Semitism in schools. Parents whose children have been suspended from school should, for example social work discussions take part, otherwise a report would be made to child and youth welfare.
Demir finally emphasizes that it should be conveyed to the young people that they are of course Muslims and/or Arabs, but also Austrians. You should “have multiple identities”.
Schlomo and Spera ultimately agree: “You should leave the Middle East conflict where it isand don’t carry him here.”
1700698027
#AntiSemitism #Catastrophic #conditions #schools