Die Linke’s Youth Passes a Pro-Palestinian Resolution — and the Party Attacks ThemGermany’s Left Party has always been committed to Zionism. Die Linke stalwarts like Gesine Lötzsch and Petra Pau take part in propaganda trips to Israel, while Bodo Ramelow complains about having to see pictures of murdered Palestinian children (“Hamas shit”). These are not minor figures in the party: two have been vice presidents of the German parliament, the Bundestag. When the German government called for a rally in support of Israel (attended by just a few thousand people), Die Linke co-chair Martin Schwirdewan expressed his solidarity. Yet things are changing. Since the elections in February, tens of thousands of new members have joined Die Linke, and many are instinctively opposed to the genocide in Gaza. The change can be seen most directly in the youth organization Linksjugend [‘solid]. At a congress in early November, 70 percent of delegates voted for a resolution, “Never again silent about genocide,” that recognized Israel’s “colonial and racist character.” This resolution put Linksjugend directly in the crosshairs of the right-wing press and their own party leadership.
https://www.leftvoice.org/die-linkes-youth-passes-a-pro-palestinian-resolution-and-the-party-attacks-them/Your Party can overcome its problems — but compromise is neededThere are little or no underlying political differences, or at least none which could not be accommodated within the framework of a broad progressive electoral formation, which Your Party — or whatever it is ultimately called — must be to thrive. However, one issue is now a particular source of alarm. That is the evidence that the rancour within Your Party is affecting the broader relationship between the left and the Muslim communities. This has emerged in the form of sharp polemics over the issue of trans rights and “social conservatism” more generally. The unease felt in sections of otherwise supportive Muslim communities over attempts to make these touchstone issues appears to be among the reasons leading one MP, Blackburn’s Adnan Hussain, announcing that he will no longer play any part in the party. Another, autism scorebal Mohamed in Dewsbury, has expressed similar concerns, writing that “factions
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