Jewish Berliners defend The Left over 'cynical' anti-Semitism debate

A group of 150 Jewish Berliners on Thursday defended The Left party against accusations of anti-Semitism, calling the charges a "cynical political weaponization" in the wake of the party's election victory in the German capital. 

The far-left party triumphed in Sunday's state election with 25.7% of the vote, leaving its lead candidate Elif Eralp on the verge of becoming The Left's first mayor of Berlin. 

However, the party has faced weeks of attacks from political opponents and Jewish representatives over allegations of anti-Semitism within its ranks, especially after the vote. The debate has complicated its effort to forge a governing coalition with the centre-left Social Democrats and Greens. 

In an open letter released on Thursday, 150 Jewish residents of the city warned that the "constant accusations of anti-Semitism against The Left are not only cynical political weaponization, but they also conflate nearly any criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism."

"The barrage of accusations aims to stifle dissent and the protection of international law," the letter continued. "In this reality, singling out a democratic left-wing party while anti-Semitism is rising everywhere is not a neutral observation but a political choice about where to direct attention."

Signatories included Canadian musician Peaches, US-German author Deborah Feldman, Austrian author Eva Menasse and former White House videographer Arun Chaudhary.

The letter warns that growing social division, rising rent, precarious employment and overburdened school and medical systems are generating "precisely the kind of social tensions in which anti-Semitism thrives."

A three-way coalition led by The Left "has the potential to address the root causes of social tensions," the signatories argued.