New Islamism scandal at the public broadcasters.
The German public broadcaster ZDF has hired a well-known Islamist and Israel-hater. Feyza-Yasmin Ayhan has been hired as a comedy writer for the sitcom “Barry’s Barbershop”. The early 20-year-old (stage name: Yasmin Poesy) has a reputation as an Islamist activist and Israel-hater.
For example, the Berliner posted an anti-Semitic cartoon on social media showing hook-nosed Jews. In 2015, she appeared at the Hamas-affiliated German Youth for Palestine, justifying violence against Israel and wishing for an end to the Jewish state.
During the Gaza war in May, she called for anti-Israel demonstrations and spoke at them. While anti-Israel demonstrations escalated again and again and there were anti-Semitic riots, Ayhan wrote on Instagram: “Arab demos BEST always a lot of power and a bit of partying”.
On Instagram, there are numerous hate posts against Israel by her.
Ayhan spoke of an allegedly ” sick big lobby” that the Jewish state has at its disposal. She thanked musician Roger Waters (78) for his statement that Israel is an “apartheid state”, although Waters is also a prominent supporter of the anti-Semitic boycott campaign BDS.
Ayhan declared that he had nothing against Jews, but scolded : “BUT FCK ZIONISM”.
ZDF confirmed to the newspaper BILD: “Feyza-Yasmin Ayhan has been part of the five-strong team of writers for the sitcom project, which is currently being produced in Berlin by the production company Studio71, since August 2021.”
The broadcaster does not see a problem in the author’s extremist views in a licence-fee financed production. A ZDF spokeswoman told BILD: “As a matter of principle, all productions commissioned by ZDF are editorially checked and their content approved.”
An almost identical response also came from the production company. They value freedom of expression but “firmly condemn any form of discrimination and racism”. And: “Our productions are editorially checked and approved by us as well as by the respective client”.
Fierce criticism has come from the political arena. Christian Social Union (CSU) member of parliament Florian Hahn (47.) calls the “employment of staff with repulsive anti-Semitic stereotypes” at the public broadcaster “absolutely unacceptable”.