1. Habermas on Israel: a Principle of Solidarity.
Research Center Normative Orders
15 November 2023
[Σύνοψη: Ο φιλόσοφος Χάμπερμας συνυπογράφει το παρακάτω κείμενο στο οποίο αναφέρονται περίπου τα εξής: η “σφαγή” που έκανε η Χαμάς στις 7 Οκτ., με δεδηλωμένη πρόθεση να εξαφανίσει τους Εβραίους από προσώπου γης, ήταν αυτή που προκάλεσε την επιδρομή του Ισραήλ στη Γάζα. Το ποια μορφή έχει λάβει αυτή, η κατ’ αρχάς δικαιολογήμενη αντίδραση του Ισραήλ, αποτελεί αντικείμενο πολλών συζητήσεων {αν είναι ισοδύναμη ή υπερβολική απόκριση, αν τηρούνται οι ανθρωπιστικές αρχές, αν λαμβάνονται επαρκή μέτρα για να μην υπάρξουν απώλειες αμάχων κ.λπ.} Όμως, με κανένα τρόπο δε δικαιολογείται η κατηγορία ότι το Ισραήλ κάνει “γενοκτονία”. Ούτε δικαιολογείται η εκδήλωση, ειδικά στη Γερμανία, αντισημιτικών αισθημάτων και κυρίως ενεργειών.]
Source: https://www.resetdoc.org/story/habermas-israel-principle-solidariety/
This letter follows the increase of the anti-Semite attacks in Germany and around the world after the beginning of the last Hamas-Israel war. It was published by the Research Center “Normative Orders” at the Goethe University Frankfurt. This letter has been signed by Nicole Deitelhoff, Chair for International Relations and Theories of Global Order; Rainer Forst, Professor of Political Theory and Philosophy; Klaus Günther, Professor of Legal Theory, Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure Law and by the philosopher Jürgen Habermas.
The current situation created by Hamas‘ extreme atrocity and Israel’s response to it has led to a cascade of moral and political statements and protests. We believe that amidst all the conflicting views being expressed, there are some principles that should not be disputed. They are the basis of a rightly understood solidarity with Israel and Jews in Germany.
The Hamas massacre with the declared intention of eliminating Jewish life in general has prompted Israel to strike back. How this retaliation, which is justified in principle, is carried out is the subject of controversial debate; principles of proportionality, the prevention of civilian casualties and the waging of a war with the prospect of future peace must be the guiding principles. Despite all the concern for the fate of the Palestinian population, however, the standards of judgement slip completely when genocidal intentions are attributed to Israel’s actions.
In particular, Israel’s actions in no way justify anti-Semitic reactions, especially not in Germany. It is intolerable that Jews in Germany are once again exposed to threats to life and limb and have to fear physical violence on the streets. The democratic ethos of the Federal Republic of Germany, which is orientated towards the obligation to respect human dignity, is linked to a political culture for which Jewish life and Israel’s right to exist are central elements worthy of special protection in light of the mass crimes of the Nazi era. The commitment to this is fundamental to our political life. The elementary rights to freedom and physical integrity as well as to protection from racist defamation are indivisible and apply equally to all. All those in our country who have cultivated anti-Semitic sentiments and convictions behind all kinds of pretexts and now see a welcome opportunity to express them uninhibitedly must also abide by this.
Nicole Deitelhoff, Rainer Forst, Klaus Günther and Jürgen Habermas
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2. The principle of human dignity must apply to all people
From The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/22/the-principle-of-human-dignity-must-apply-to-all-people
Adam Tooze, Samuel Moyn, Amia Srinivasan and others respond to a statement issued by German academics on the situation in Israel and Gaza.
[Σύνοψη: Οι υπογράφοντες απαντούν στην παραπάνω επιστολή, την οποία προσυπογράφει και ο Χάμπερμας. Υποστηρίζοντας ότι παρόλο που συμφωνούν με την καταδίκη του αντισημιτισμού στη Γερμανία με την καταδίκη της σύλληψης αμάχων ομήρων από τη Χαμάς και τη σημασία της διασφάλισης της αξιοπρέπειας των ανθρώπων, εντούτοις θεωρούν ότι η εν λόγω επιστολή είναι ετεροβαρής γιατί δε δίνει την ίδια σημασία στην ανάγκη διασφάλισης από το Ισραήλ της αξιοπρέπειας των Παλαιστινίων. Επίσης ισχυρίζονται ότι από τη στιγμή που υπάρχουν σχετικές καταγγελίες και διεξάγεται εκτεταμένη συζήτηση γι’ αυτό, δεν μπορεί να αποκλειστεί εκ των προτέρων ότι το Ισραήλ δεν προβαίνει σε γενοκτονία των Παλαιστινίων. Κατά τη γνώμη μου η θέση τους δεν είναι ισχυρή, όσο είναι των συντακτών της επιστολής που προσυπογράφει και ο Χάμπερμας.]
Report: Israel-Hamas war opens up German debate over meaning of ‘Never again’
Wed 22 Nov 2023 17.00 CET
We the undersigned are deeply concerned by the statement “Principles of solidarity” published on the website of the Normative Orders research centre at Goethe-Universität Frankfurt on 13 November 2023, signed by Nicole Deitelhoff, Rainer Forst, Klaus Günther and Jürgen Habermas.
We join the authors in condemning the killing and taking hostage of Israeli civilians by Hamas on 7 October 2023 and we fully agree with the vital need to protect Jewish life in Germany in the face of rising antisemitism. We also agree with the statement’s grounding of these positions in the respect for human dignity for all people as a central part of the “democratic ethos of the Federal Republic of Germany”.
However, we are deeply troubled by the apparent limits of the solidarity expressed by the authors. The statement’s concern for human dignity is not adequately extended to Palestinian civilians in Gaza who are facing death and destruction. Nor is it applied or extended to Muslims in Germany experiencing rising Islamophobia. Solidarity means that the principle of human dignity must apply to all people. This requires us to recognise and address the suffering of all those affected by an armed conflict.
The statement claims that “the standards of judgement slip completely when genocidal intentions are attributed to Israel’s actions”. There is ongoing discussion among genocide scholars and legal experts about whether the legal standard for genocide has been met. Human rights groups have filed lawsuits alleging genocide at the international criminal court and a federal court in the US. Omer Bartov, professor of Holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University, has recently reminded us: “We know from history that it is crucial to warn of the potential for genocide before it occurs, rather than belatedly condemn it after it has taken place. I think we still have that time.” Showing solidarity and respecting human dignity means that we must heed this warning and not close down the space for debate and reflection about the possibility of genocide. Not all signatories believe that the legal standards for genocide have been met; nevertheless, all agree that this is a matter of legitimate debate.
The statement mentions three “guiding principles” for military action: “principles of proportionality, the prevention of civilian casualties and the waging of a war with the prospect for future peace”. We are concerned that there is no mention of upholding international law, which also prohibits war crimes and crimes against humanity such as collective punishment, persecution, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure including schools, hospitals and places of worship. Being guided by principles of international legal standards, solidarity and human dignity compels us to hold all participants in the conflict to this higher standard.
We cannot allow the atrocities to force us to abandon these principles.
Adam Tooze Professor of history, Columbia University
Samuel Moyn Professor of law and history, Yale University
Amia Srinivasan Professor of social and political theory, University of Oxford
Nancy Fraser Professor of political and social science, New School for Social Research
Alice Crary Professor of philosophy, New School for Social Research
Linda Zerilli Charles E Merriam distinguished service professor of political science, University of Chicago
Chandra Talpade Mohanty Distinguished professor, Syracuse University
Diedrich Diederichsen Professor for theory of contemporary art, Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna
Beate Roessler Professor of philosophy, University of Amsterdam
Quinn Slobodian Professor of history, Wellesley College
Cécile Malaspina Director of programme, Collège international de philosophie, France
Αλέξανδρος Τζιρκώτης Alexandros Tzirkotis 