Germany bars citizenship for immigrants who share antisemitic slogans

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

GERMANY IS CHANGING NATURALIZATION LAWS IN ORDER TO CRACK DOWN ON WHAT THE GOVERNMENT SAYS IS GROWING ANTISEMITISM AND RACISM WITHIN THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.

THE GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK IT’S TIGHTENING RULES, BARRING IMMIGRANTS FROM BECOMING CITIZENS IF THEY USE TERMS LIKE, QUOTE: “FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA PALESTINE WILL BE FREE.” AND QUOTE: “LET’S GO BOMB TEL AVIV.”

THE LAW ASSERTS, ANYONE WHO UTTERS, POSTS OR SHARES SUCH SLOGANS WILL BE INELIGIBLE FOR GERMAN CITIZENSHIP.

IMMIGRANTS UNDERGOING THE NATURALIZATION PROCESS WILL ALSO BE DENIED CITIZENSHIP FOR DENYING THE HOLOCAUST OR USING MAPS REPLACING ISRAEL WITH THE PALESTINIAN FLAG. 

AND CITIZENSHIP TESTS WILL INVOLVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ISRAEL AND JUDAISM TO SCREEN OUT ANY IMMIGRANTS WITH “EXTREMIST VIEWS.”

THE GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER BELIEVES THE LAW WILL PROTECT THE APPROXIMATELY 100-THOUSAND JEWS WHO LIVE IN GERMANY, SAYING:

“GERMANY’S CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY IN THE HOLOCAUST ENTAILS OUR SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROTECTION OF JEWS AND FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL” ADDING,” THIS RESPONSIBILITY IS PART OF OUR IDENTITY TODAY.”

WHILE THE LAW IS MORE RESTRICTIVE FOR WHAT QUALIFIES AS ANTISEMITIC OR RACIST BEHAVIOR– IT ALSO SHORTENS THE LENGTH OF TIME IMMIGRANT WORKERS CAN APPLY FOR GERMAN CITIZENSHIP FROM EIGHT TO FIVE YEARS. 

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.