Saarland University discusses anti-Semitism: A respectful dialogue!

Saarland University discusses anti-Semitism: A respectful dialogue!

On July 9, 2025, a controversial event took place at Saarland University (UdS) that was organized by several student groups. The purpose of this event was to discuss Amnesty International's reports on the Middle East conflict. The issue was particularly sensitive because Amnesty International has been criticized in the past for reports perceived as anti-Semitic in the Jewish community. Loud uni-saarland.de The invitation text for the event was judged by the Executive Board to be unsuitable.

The university administration brought attention to the event a week before the event and expressed concerns about the scope of the discussion. It was feared that the dialogue would not remain objective and that anti-Semitic incidents could not be ruled out. President Ludger Santen then contacted representatives of the SDS student group.

Moderation and requirements

On July 7, 2025, President Santen informed SDS representatives that the event could only take place under certain conditions. These requirements aim to ensure an objective discussion and to prevent anti-Semitic or discriminatory elements. An important part of these agreements was the selection of an expert moderator. The university was able to appoint Prof. Dr. Win Roland Rixecker, who agreed to take over the moderation. Rixecker, President of the Saarland Constitutional Court, stated that he did not agree with the text of the invitation and assured that he would not introduce any personal opinions during the discussion.

On July 8, 2025, the SDS accepted the conditions and agreed to Rixecker as moderator. In his role, President Santen emphasized the need for a nuanced, science-led discourse on the Middle East conflict and expressed sympathy for the victims on both sides. Rixecker moderated the event, which served as a platform for objective criticism of the Amnesty reports and provided impetus for a respectful dialogue on the topic.

Anti-Semitism and human rights discourses

The discussion of anti-Semitism in the context of human rights reports, particularly Amnesty International reports, is not a new phenomenon. According to a report by zeit.de Many Jews are confronted with a rise in anti-Semitism, which is shaped by the narratives of human rights organizations such as Amnesty. The report “Israel’s Apartheid against Palestinians” was prepared against the background that Israel is not presented as a place of refuge for Jews. This is causing concern in the Jewish community.

The author points out that Amnesty often tends to ignore anti-Semitism or only treat it in the broader context of the racism debate. Many leftists and human rights activists are under pressure to refute anti-Semitic narratives, which is often misinterpreted. This means that legitimate discourse about Israel is more difficult to be perceived as anti-Semitic.

Challenges to academic freedom

This debate reflects a larger social problem that is addressed in the Bundestag resolution against anti-Semitism at universities and schools. It's about the limits of what can be said in science and society. Universities are faced with the challenge of protecting academic freedom and at the same time neither tolerating nor normalizing anti-Semitic narratives juedische- Allgemeine.de reported.

Legitimate criticism can quickly turn into discriminatory narratives. This makes it all the more important to draw clear lines between well-founded criticism of Israel and anti-Semitic statements. Universities must create spaces for differentiated perspectives and pay attention to the growing Jewish communities in Germany, which often feel isolated and unprotected.

It is therefore important that the dialogue about Israel and anti-Semitism takes place on a solid foundation of well-founded argumentation and scientific reflection. This is the only way to ensure an open discussion of these complex issues without one-sided narratives dominating the discussion.