German newspaper accuses academics of fostering anti-Israel sentiment at universities in Berlin

By Erbil Basay

BERLIN (AA) - The German newspaper Bild targeted academics who support students at universities in the capital who are protesting against Israel's war on Gaza in an article Sunday that accused them of fostering anti-Israel sentiment.

The story, titled "University Perpetrators," labeled the protesting students as "rabble" and alleged faculty support for them, arguing that there is anti-Israel hatred at universities in Berlin.

Humboldt University and Freie Universitat reportedly removed the protesters and launched investigations into hate speech and anti-Semitic propaganda.

It was also reported that more than 150 faculty members signed an open letter backing the students, but Bild labeled them as "radical" and accused them of promoting pro-Palestinian views.

"Some of the faculty members who called for more tolerance towards the protests are radically pro-Palestinian. Many of them teach Arabic philology, Islamic studies and ethnology courses," the article said.

"We strongly condemn Bild newspaper's defamation of some academics at our university. We are investigating the steps to be taken under the Press Law," Freie Universitat’s administration said in a statement.

Nearly 150 students at Freie Universität established a solidarity encampment on May 7 to support Palestine and protest German pressure on protesters.

Police intervened and evacuated the camp, detaining many students.

On May 3, police also intervened in a sit-in protest by Palestine supporters in the garden of Berlin Humboldt University and detained a large number of students.

Following these developments, many university faculty members signed an open letter supporting students taking part in Palestinian solidarity demonstrations and demanding that they not be subjected to police violence.

"Regardless of whether we agree with the specific demands at the camp, we stand by our students and defend their right to peaceful protest," it said.

The letter stressed the importance of protecting freedom of assembly and expression, particularly at universities.

*Writing by Gizem Nisa Cebi in Istanbul