Alhough most German Muslims have not shown any major interest or support for islamic militants, they are more prone to tap into the spread of anti-Jewish feeling within their country. Farfur is a carbn copy of the Walt Disney Mickey Mouse character but he spouts anti-Jewish feeling as part of the comedy associated with the cartoon show. Children are encouraged to say things like “We don’t like Jews because they are like dogs. We will fight them.” In 2004, Fran ce banned such shows from being shown due to their anti-=semtism, but the use of cartoon characters to insult Jews is all too common on Muslim based TV programs
Last fall, Rabbi Zaiman Gurevitch, was attacked on the street n Frankurt on the Sabbath and stabbed by a 22 year-old German of Afghan descent who said: “You shit Jew, I’m going to kill you.” German educators increasngly are coming across young children who use the expression, “you Jew” as an insult when angry at another child. In 2007, the Grman Interior Ministry published a study which indicated that German Muslims were more prone to attack and insult Jews than any other group in Germany. The report noted, “the pervasiveness of sweeping anti-Semitic prejudice among Muslim students was also noticeable.”
The reality is that anti-semistism is linked to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinians. Until that issue is resolved, there is scant prospect Hamas propaganda willl not cease. Perhaps, as part of any resolution of the conflict is the necessity of including an educational program between the parties that aims at ending bigotry and prejudice.
