The Facts
Following Hamas' weekend attack on Israel, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on Thursday a ban on any activity deemed to show support for the group — recognized as a terrorist organization in the EU — taking aim at the pro-Palestinian group Samidoun.
Speaking to parliament, Scholz emphasized that any support for Hamas, its symbols, or the burning of Israeli flags would lead to prosecution.
The Spin
Narrative A
Anti-Semitism cannot be justified in any way, and violence, like what Hamas unleashed in Israel on Saturday, must be met with the full force of the law. Hamas is already proscribed as a terror organization, and anyone showing them support should undoubtedly be barred.
Narrative B
While the atrocities committed by Hamas must be condemned to the fullest extent, Germany — and Europe more generally — must be careful not to cross the line of confusing them with legitimate Palestinian issues. Doing so is a slippery slope that will lead to the curtailment of freedom of speech and expression.
