Das Konzert wurde ins Druckluft verlegt, weil es einen Antisemitismus-Vorwurf gegen PROTESTERA gab und sich die AZ MH-Kulturgruppe deshalb nicht einig war, ob diese Band im AZ auftreten soll, sich somit dagegen entschieden hat. Im Folgenden die Stellungnahme von PROTESTERA dazu, ohne diese Distanzierung von einer früheren (nur sehr kurzzeitig vorhandenen!) Textzeile, hätten wir das Konzert übrigens auch nicht veranstaltet. Aber lest selbst:
"The Band Protestera played during their last tour in early 2002 a song that contained the lines: "burn Israel burn". Because the foundation of the state of Israel is tightly connected to the from Germany initiated attempt to extinct all european jews, the state of Israel therefor coming into being as a sanctuary of jewish people and culture, subjects to antisemitism in capitalism, this parole has now been declied by the band. Nevertheless the slogan was not thought to criticise the fact of the foundation of a territorial jewish state itself, but the circumstances of this foundation (occupation of areas thought of for the arabic population! , driving those away, killings of civilians etc.). After numberous discussions the band changed the lyrics several days later while still touring. It is now:
" The sound of stones is the sound of anger, first the army, then Rimal".
Army in this case means the israelian army, as the executive force of oppressive politcs in the occupied areas that should be attacked first. Rimal is a rich quarter in Gaza city in which many high up officials of the Autonomy bureau live. It stands metaphorically for the oppression of workingclass palestinians by rich palestinians, which should be fought against equally. This slogan is a palestinian slogan from the demonstrations during the first intifada.
The band is not at all supporting suicide-attacks of rightwing fundamentalists, yet declare their solidarity with discriminated and oppressed arabic people, as much in the westbank and in the gaza-strip as in Israel itself.
To form an accusation of anti! semitism of this solidarity, one must think in simplifications. All Palestinians are declared supporters of Jihad and Hamas, they are looked upon without exception as antisemites. In doing so a racist point of view is used: A collective of a people is constructed, the same thinking and acting of all individuals is assumed.
Protestera as band is solidaric with people who are subjected to the
same oppression. This position is shared with many left Israelis. Furthermore
the band criticises topical aspects of israelian politics: the ongoing
expansion of the settlements, construction of the safety-wall, collective
punishment of whole cities and the acception of civil casualties as means
of vengence etc. The judgement of whatever criticism of the state of
Israel as antisemitism is a one-sided and undistincted perception of
the actual conditions. An unconditional and uncritical, identitarian
and affirmative solidarity with the nationalstate of Israel and its everyday
politics cannot be part of an emancipa! tory left movement."
Protestera