Linke-Wahlsieg: Israels Botschafter sieht nach Berlin-Wahl Gefahr für Juden

Israel's ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, warned that a left-wing victory in Berlin's recent elections presents a "direct existential threat" to the city's Jewish community. Prosor told Deutsche Presse-Agentur that the right-wing parties' strong showing in Berlin's election must trouble anyone concerned about preserving Jewish life in the city.

He called out the "completely naked antisemitism" that has risen with the left's growing influence. For Berlin's Jewish community, this shift from a theoretical threat to an "immediate and tangible danger" is a reality. The leftist party responded to Prosor's remarks, denying allegations of systemic antisemitism within their ranks.

Berlin's Left Party spokeswoman Kerstin Wolter said their commitment to Israel's existence and the protection of Jewish life remains firm, and they stand beside the Jewish, Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian communities in Berlin. Wolter stressed that criticizing Israel's current government policy is part of democracy, but claiming such criticism is antisemitism is unfair.

The Left Party aims to form a coalition with the Greens and SPD after their recent election win and could become the city's first female mayor under Elif Eralp. The party plans to seek meetings with representatives from the SPD and Greens to discuss potential coalition talks, which could begin next week if the party leadership approves.

The Berlin Left Party has a history of controversy over its positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and antisemitism. The Central Council of Jews in Germany had previously accused the party of repeatedly crossing antisemitic lines during their campaign. Elif Eralp and her party's chair, Ines Schwerdtner, have repeatedly insisted that they stand by the protection of Jewish life.

A controversial guest at a Left Party event, a pro-Palestinian activist linked to the militant group Palestinian Liberation Front (PFLP), caused a stir when he attended the party's New Kölner branch's victory celebration. The party spokesperson for the event defended his presence. Prosor placed the blame on the party for a pattern of crossing "red lines" and accused the Left of having open ties with "criminals and terrorist apologists."

The ambassador called for the Left to present a concrete plan to eradicate systemic antisemitism within their ranks. The "era of empty promises" must end with the election results, Prosor said, stressing that only concrete actions and measurable outcomes matter.