Dispute in Germany’s The Left party over member’s support for Israel
A dispute emerged in the left party in Germany for the support of an eminent member for Israel during the war in Gaza.
Andreas Büttner, who is anti -Semitism commissioner for the Eastern State of Brandenburg, is threatened with expulsion from the distant party to the left for allegations that he has publicly opposed to his positions on the conflict.
In a request for his expulsion seen by DPA, nine party members have argued Büttner “is constantly visible on social networks with statements concerning the Middle East conflict in which he clearly violates applicable party resolutions, but in some of his arguments also ignore the applicable international law.”
Among their complaints, there was a post of Büttner on X which said that “the recognition of a Palestinian state would be the worst step that one could take”.
In addition, the members stressed Büttner’s criticism with regard to the United Nations Rescue and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), an organization that Israel accuses of being infiltrated by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Büttner said he had been described as “children’s murderer” and “genocide denial” on social networks.
“For me, the emphasis must be put on what it means when the Jews are attacked in Brandenburg because the Israeli government makes decisions that people do not like,” Büttner told DPA. While the Israeli government makes many mistakes, it is not its place to criticize them, he argued.
The commissioner defended his position on the conflict.
“Party resolutions link the party executive, but not all members,” he told the Tagesspiegel newspaper. “Of course, members can have their own positions.”
