A German government spokesperson expressed concern about the rise in anti-Muslim racism in the country since the start of Israel's attacks on Gaza following attacks by Hamas on Oct. 7.
Any attacks on Muslims in Germany, for religious or other reasons, are "absolutely unacceptable," government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said at a news conference in Berlin on Monday.
"The nearly 5 million Muslims in Germany have every right to be protected ...," he added.
The Berlin-based Alliance Against Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Hate (CLAIM) warned last week of growing anti-Muslim racism amid the escalating Israel-Palestine conflict in Gaza.
"We are witnessing an intensification of anti-Muslim racism in Germany. This is something we should all be concerned about and needs to be taken seriously," said Rima Hanano, head of the nongovernmental organization (NGO)s.
"We must not allow inhumane positions to be further normalized and thereby jeopardize social cohesion. All people must be protected from racist, antisemitic and other inhumane violence and threats," she added.
CLAIM has documented 53 cases of anti-Muslim threats, violence and discrimination in the last two-and-a-half weeks alone, including 10 attacks on mosques.
It can be assumed that there are a serious number of unreported anti-Muslim incidents that have not yet been reported or recorded, for example, this applies also to anti-Muslim hate speech on social networks.
CLAIM called for far-reaching measures to combat anti-Muslim racism and to protect those affected.
"Combating anti-Muslim racism, antisemitism and other misanthropic ideologies is more crucial than ever for our democracy and the cohesion of society. The need for action is acute," according to the NGO.
Like other Western countries, Germany has been criticized for its indifference to the suffering of Palestinian civilians and unwavering support for Israel, which has been committing war crimes in incessant attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Palestine's ambassador to Germany, Laith Arafeh, criticized the country for lacking sympathy for Palestinian civilian victims of Israel's relentless attacks in the Gaza Strip.
"Our victims continue to be met with apathy," Arafeh said on Friday.
"A growing cancel culture in Germany continues to vilify and dehumanize the Palestinian people," Arafeh said.
"The same cancel culture is distorting the discourse, silencing debate, threatening careers, all the while inflaming racism, bigotry, and division," he added.
