For two decades, the cultural and solidarity association Dar-al-Janub has been one of the most active voices of the Global South and its struggles in Austria. After October 7, they became the target of liberal media with a pro-Israeli agenda, especially the Der Standard daily, Falter weekly, and Profil magazine. Individual journalists from these media outlets, who have close ties to the police, intelligence services and the so-called anti-German, pro-Israeli “Antifa scene”, published personal information and images of activists on X (formerly Twitter).

The anti-German ideology in Austria emerged as a reaction to German reunification in 1989. Some left-wing elements viewed this event as a return to Fascism and the beginning of a so-called “Fourth Reich”, a reference to Hitler’s “Third Reich”. At rallies, they demanded: “Never again Germany”. As I previously explained to Al Mayadeen English, their ideology is as simple as it is dangerous: Germany, they argue, is inherently Fascist. However, Fascism is said to have arisen in different forms throughout history – not just within the German states. Today, according to these anti-Germans, Arabs would threaten “the only civilisation in the Middle East: Israel”, as they argue. Since the Germans were responsible for the Holocaust, it should be the duty of all Germans to support "Israel" and its supporter, the USA, uncritically. This distorted view led to parts of the German and Austrian political left becoming supporters of imperialism and welcoming, for example, the US invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

One of these journalists who follows this pro-imperialist ideology works as a politics editor at Der Standard. As he reported on X, he visited a US intelligence service in autumn, even sharing a photo of the NSA building. Another wrote in the Falter about a briefing held by the IOF in a posh hotel in Vienna, to which he was invited.

In December, the liberal party, NEOs, saw “the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Austrian intelligence service unit, DR) as having the responsibility to take effective measures (against Dar-al-Janub) to keep Vienna safe and worth living in”. NEOs councillor and integration spokesperson Dolores Bakos emphasised, “We stand in complete solidarity with Israel and the victims of the latest act of terrorism.”

The Viennese leader of the right-wing FPÖ, Dominik Nepp, called on ÖVP Interior Minister Gerhard Karner to ban the “Islamist association Dar-al-Janub” in the same month.

The media and political smear campaign against the association endangers further political and solidarity work, members of Dar-al-Janub told Al Mayadeen English. Recently, death threats have been issued to activists, says Iman Shaker from Dar-al-Janub, when she sat down with Al Mayadeen English for a conversation in a Viennese coffee house: “We were formed in the wake of the war against Iraq and Afghanistan. Our focus is on solidarity with the Global South,” says Shaker.

She was born in Vienna to Palestinian parents. Her father fled from Yafa, and her mother from the West Bank.

The aim was to create a physical space for discussion and a retreat for progressive political activists: Cultural evenings, joint dinners, film screenings, webinars and political events are organised regularly. Previous guests have included Black Panther activist Dhoruba al-Mujahid bin Wahad. The association also organised monthly protests for US political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal outside the US Consulate.

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Since October 7, Dar-al-Janub has been a central part of the Palestine Solidarity Alliance (Palaestina Solidaritaet Oesterreich) and organises weekly information stalls and other activities. The activists are also involved in BDS Austria, the campaign to boycott Israeli goods: “We try to understand Palestine in the global, geopolitical context,” says Shaker, “that makes us dangerous for the ruling classes.”

Last week, journalist Markus Sulzbacher wrote an article in Der Standard that alleges Dar-al-Janub holds ties with Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP): “There is no relationship with any organisation in Palestine,” Shaker clarifies: “We are an anti-racist association. We support a peaceful solution.”

As evidence of the PFLP connections is a letter that the PFLP sent to various organisations worldwide on its 50th anniversary to recognise solidarity with Palestine: “The document was handed over at a public event with the presence of politicians of the ruling Social democratic SPOe,” Shaker explains the background. Pro-Israeli journalists “want to accuse us of something that can be used to attack us legally,” yet she emphasises, “We work legally.”

Because of the public smear campaign, bans from the state endanger the organisation, and activists receive threatening phone calls. “Many people are afraid” and would reduce their political activism: “They are afraid of losing their jobs.” Austria is an “extremely Zionist country,” she emphasises.

Dar-al-Janub has therefore launched a petition against these intimidations and has collected solidarity videos: “We just want to be able to continue our political work.”

She would like the Austrian government to demand a ceasefire. However, in autumn, only ten states voted against an immediate ceasefire in the UN General Assembly – one of them Austria. Most recently, it has joined 15 other countries in cutting UNRWA funding.

Shaker thinks that it is not up to the European government to decide the future of Palestine: “Determining the political future is not our job”, instead, the goal of Dar-al-Janub is to defend the right to self-determination of all peoples of the Global South, she explains: “It is only for the Palestinians themselves to decide their future.”

Shaker concludes our conversation with a call to activists in Austria and abroad. She is worried about “the intensified state repression and media attacks on us and all Palestine solidarity groups”. However, she does not see enough solidarity and, thus, is disappointed by many political activists in Europe: “The least that one would expect from activists and groups who take up the cause of anti-racism, anti-capitalism and even revolution would be to take a stand against the genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza. Unfortunately, a large number of people do not do so.”

This silence of political activists enables the pro-Israeli media attacks and state repression in Austria, Germany, and other European countries. The smear campaign is merely the latest example of undemocratic measures introduced since October 7: Germany has already ruled the Palestinian Prisoners network Samidoun unlawful, and raided the premises of activists they accused of fundraising for Hamas, Hezbollah and the PFLP. Despite the hostile climate, activists such as Dar-al-Janub and their members refuse to back down over these smear campaigns, threats, and state repression.