Apr 3, 2020
Interviewer: MATTHEW BERKMAN. Berlin is home to Europe’s largest Palestinian diaspora community and one of the world’s largest Israeli diaspora communities. In their book, The Moral Triangle, SA’ED ATSHAN and KATHARINA GALOR explore the resulting tensions in the context of German guilt about the Nazi Holocaust, which has led to a general disavowal of anti-Semitism and strong support for the Israeli state at the same time that Palestinians in Berlin report experiencing increasing levels of racism and Islamophobia. In their discussion with political scientist Matthew Berkman, Atshan and Galor show how public discourse has been affected by Germany’s recent welcoming of Middle Eastern refugees and point to spaces for solidarity among Germans, Israelis and Palestinians. They also discuss the recent coronavirus outbreak, the varied responses to it by German states, and the impact on Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.