Social issues

“Not in our name”

Zionism is not the same as Judaism

by Detlef Koch*

(27 June 2025) Today, 13 June, marks the start of an event in Vienna that was long considered unthinkable: Jews from all over the world are gathering – rabbis, Holocaust survivors, intellectuals, Mizrahi activists, left-wing voices from the diaspora – to publicly, confidently and in an organised manner criticise Zionism. Not out of hatred, but out of responsibility. Not as a taboo-breaking act, but as a return to the ethos of Jewish history. The “First Jewish Anti-Zionist Congress” is not a marginal phenomenon. It is the moral symptom of a radical change – and an invitation to finally rethink the concepts that have paralysed political criticism for decades.

Universities are failing in their duty

by Suzette Sandoz*, Lausanne

(27 June 2025) Could the cruel war between Israel and Palestine finally provide an opportunity to raise awareness of the role of universities? The rectorates are stammering and getting annoyed, students are demonstrating, the police are sometimes intervening – it’s a pitiful sight.

Educational optimism

by Michael Felten*, Germany

(20 June 2025) Optimism is something that the struggling education system could really do with right now. And Alfred Adler, the founder of individual psychology, would have a lot to offer in this respect. His experience-based thesis is that every child, no matter how troubled their background may be, can change their learning behaviour and social skills at school and develop them in a positive way. However, this requires steadfast and knowledgeable teachers who sensitively understand each child’s learning style, encourage and challenge them individually, and strengthen their attachment to a pro-social class community.

Palestine: “Help us stop the tragedy!”

Sumaya Farhat-Naser on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Event organised by “Swiss Standpoint”

(20 June 2025) (Own report) On 13 May 2025, in the well-attended rooms of “Swiss Standpoint” in Frauenfeld, Palestinian Dr Sumaya Farhat-Naser spoke about the situation in Gaza and the West Bank and her involvement there. The speaker gave a knowledgeable overview of the catastrophic humanitarian situation. At the same time, she impressed the audience with her level-headed, peaceful and egalitarian attitude towards the world.

Declaration of bankruptcy for the German constitutional state

On the EU sanctions against Alina Lipp Alina Lipp and Thomas Röper – a statement of solidarity

by Wolfgang Bittner,* Germany

(13 June 20259 (CH-S) In its 17th package of sanctions adopted on 20 May, the EU included German journalists Alina Lipp and Thomas Röper among those sanctioned, imposing a ban on entry into and transit through the EU and their home country; their assets in Europe were frozen. The EU thus followed Ukraine’s lead in placing Ms Lipp and Mr Röper on the “list of Ukrainian enemies of the state”, some of whom have already been killed. The inclusion in the EU sanctions package was carried out without any review under the rule of law and in disregard of press freedom, freedom of expression and information, as well as in disregard of any guarantee of legal recourse.

Russophobia is racism – Just like anti-Semitism

by Guy Mettan,* Geneva

(6 June 2025) It was to be expected that the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany on 8 and 9 May this year would give rise to a wave of Russophobic hate speech against Russians and Russia. The most blatant insults were avoided, because it was difficult to spit on the 27 million dead that the Soviet Union sacrificed to liberate Europe from Nazism.