The Impact of the Middle East Conflict on the Prevention of Islamism

The attacks by the Islamist terrorist organisation Hamas on October 7, 2023, and the resulting war between Israel and Hamas have led to a significant rise in anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim racism in Germany. As both phenomena represent key elements of Islamist extremism, they are of particular relevance in a prevention context: On the one hand, anti-Semitism – also in the shape of Israel-related anti-Semitism – is a core component of Islamist ideology; on the other hand, anti-Muslim racism is an important pull factor for Islamist propaganda and radicalization.

Efforts to promote democracy, to effectively prevent Islamism, must be targeted at both anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim racism and address both phenomena jointly rather than separately.To prevent Islamism, one must engage in democracy promotion and focus on both anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim racism at the same time. In the Middle East conflict, anti-Semitism is often seen as a factor in the suffering of the Jewish side, while anti-Muslim racism is seen as a factor in the suffering of the Palestinian side. Nevertheless, these phenomena are not to be viewed in isolation. Any analysis of the conflict must focus on the whole to understand and overcome the complex and reciprocal dynamics of prejudice, exclusion, and violence.

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