German educational center sides with BDS, sabotages Israel event

The German-Israel Society of Aachen issued a statement on its Facebook page: "We don't understand the behavior of the representative of our co-organizer, the Aachen Adult Education Center."

By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL
The German flag is pictured at the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, November 7, 2017 (photo credit: REUTERS/HANNIBAL HANSCHKE)
The German flag is pictured at the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, November 7, 2017
(photo credit: REUTERS/HANNIBAL HANSCHKE)
A representative of the publicly-funded adult educational center in the western German city of Aachen sabotaged an Israel event covering the so-called Nakba last Tuesday, sparking sharp criticism from the city's German-Israel Friendship Society.
The German-Israel Society of Aachen issued a statement on its Facebook page: "We don't understand the behavior of the representative of our co-organizer, the Aachen Adult Education Center, who presented the lecture as inappropriate, one-sided and unscientific.
"We find this particularly strange because this criticism was previously expressed, above all, by sympathizers present from the antisemitic BDS movement," the statement said.
"In this context, we call on all local political and societal representatives to follow the joint parliamentary decision of the CDU, CSU, SPD, FDP and the Greens, and to resolutely oppose the antisemitic BDS movement."
The title of the lecture by author and journalist Alex Feuerherdt was "Myth 'Nakba' - The Origin of Israel and the Expulsion of Jews from the Arab States."
The society referenced the anti-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions resolution passed by the Christian Democratic Union, Christian Social Union, Social Democratic Party, Free Democratic Party and the Green Party in May. The parliamentary resolution classified BDS as antisemitic and urged no government funds for BDS.
The German cities of Munich, Berlin and Frankfurt have banned public funds and space for BDS events.
The German-Israel Society thanked Feuerherdt "for his exciting, objective, scientifically sound and balanced presentation. We welcome the many listeners who participated in the event and their response. To this end, we also expressly count those listeners who were critical of the lecture given by Mr. Feuerherdt and used the discussion following the lecture to ask critical questions and make critical comments. We thank Mr. Feuerherdt for his factual and detailed responses to these critical reactions."
Heinz Kneip, the Aachen representative from the educational center, who allegedly sabotaged Feuerherdt's, talk did not immediately respond to numerous Jerusalem Post emails and telephone calls. 
Kneip started his position at the center in February.  The Post sent a query to Kneip about his alleged anti-Israel conduct and whether he supports the BDS campaign against the Jewish state.
The Post also contacted Dr. Beate Blügge, the director of the Aachen Adult Education Center, who was not in her office, according to her assistant.
The city of Aachen is located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and has a population of just over 246,000.