Germany is changing its 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 on Sunday, Sept. 29, that the country is tightening rules, barring immigrants from becoming citizens if they use terms like, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and “Let’s go bomb Tel Aviv.”
The law asserts that 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, suggesting it was exaggerated, or using maps that replace the state of Israel with the Palestinian flag.
Citizenship questions will also be adjusted to include questions about Israel and Judaism to reportedly screen out any immigrants with “extremist views.”
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser believes that the law will protect the approximately 100,000 Jews that live in Germany.
“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,” Faeser said. “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 for eight years to five years overseas.
