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Riot at Halle University: Reading on the Middle East conflict ignores requirements!
A controversial reading on the Middle East conflict was approved at the University of Halle, although conditions were violated.
Riot at Halle University: Reading on the Middle East conflict ignores requirements!
On October 27, 2025, a controversial reading took place at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg with the political scientist Professor Dr. Helga Baumgarten. Under the title “Genocide in Gaza” she discussed the political situation in Gaza and the prospects for self-determination. The reading was organized by the university group “Students for Palestine,” which advocates for the rights of Palestinians. But the event heated up tempers and led to strong protests and criticism from various groups.
According to information from n-tv There were special requirements for the approval of the reading, which were originally issued by the university management. These included banning cooperation with the “Students for Palestine”, guaranteeing Israel’s right to exist and banning anti-Semitic statements. University director Claudia Becker admitted that these conditions were not adhered to during the event and described the approval as a mistake.
Criticism and responsibility
The Young Forum of the German-Israeli Society in Halle also expressed criticism of the reading and spoke of anti-Israel depictions. Niklas David Gießler, board member of the Young Forum, recalled the university's special responsibility after an anti-Semitic terrorist attack in 2019.
In addition, Konstantin Pott, the FDP's university policy spokesman, made serious accusations against the event and warned against one-sided political instrumentalization. He described the relativization of Hamas' terrorist attacks on Israel, which took place on October 7, 2023, as unacceptable and called on the university management to cancel the event.
Reactions in the student council
The majority of the MLU Student Council (StuRa) spoke out against the event and called on the university management not to provide an audience for such readings. They criticized Baumgarten's stance on Hamas as "trivial" and pointed to the need to break extremism from both extreme right-wing forces in Israel and Islamist groups such as Hamas in order to achieve peace and equality in the region.
The reading with Professor Baumgarten is therefore not only perceived as an academic event, but also raised deeper social and political questions that have an impact beyond the boundaries of the university. The discussion about the Middle East conflict remains a hotly contested topic that continues to stir many minds.