Tel Aviv Tribune Net correspondents
Berlin- Although it only calls for peaceful protest against the Israeli occupation, guaranteeing the rights of Palestinians, and ending the apartheid system, which many organizations confirm is being implemented inside Israel, this did not prevent the “Palestine Speaks” movement, or in German (Palästina Spricht), from being subjected to a lot of harassment on German soil, in While it is not prohibited as is the case with other movements such as “Samoun.”
The movement was founded in Berlin in 2019 by 4 activists, and since then it has grown rapidly and has branches in several German cities. The movement was not organized into a registered association, and continued to operate spontaneously, but that did not prevent many Palestinian activists or those of Palestinian origin from joining it.
Recently, the police searched the home of a member of the movement in Munich on suspicion of saying that “the Hamas attack on October 7 represents a resistance operation.” The German authorities in several cities also canceled a group of demonstrations called for by the movement, especially the day after the beginning of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip. Gaza, under the justification of the danger of “anti-Semitism” and the negative impact on public order.
“We defend the Palestinian presence”
Banning the “Palestine Speaks” movement is not new. Marches called for by the movement to commemorate the Palestinian Nakba in Berlin were previously banned, according to what was confirmed by the movement’s spokeswoman, Diana Tawfiq. She told Tel Aviv Tribune Net, “We were not only prevented from gathering, but also from raising the Palestinian flag.” She confirms that “in other cities, such as Munich and Freiburg, the police prohibit gatherings hours before the start of the marches, or ask them to change the route.”
Diana, a young Palestinian woman born in Germany, says, “The restrictions that are taking place in Germany are aimed at suppressing the Palestinian narrative about the events in our country, even though these decisions clearly violate the right to assembly.” She confirms that she joined the movement so that “she can freely express herself as a Palestinian.” .
Regarding the challenges facing the Palestinians in Germany, Diana says, “The accusation of anti-Semitism is often attached to the Palestinians in one way or another when they defend their cause in Germany.” She continues, “Palestinian history is ignored when talking about the Arab-Israeli conflict, and they do not talk about it in schools and universities. Therefore, I saw it as my duty to spread awareness of the facts of history, and to show the Germans that we exist and are fighting for our rights.”
Charge of anti-Semitism
In a country that considers “Israel’s security to be a supreme national interest,” Palestinian activity becomes a cause for suspicion, and many sympathizers are linked either to the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) or to extremist leftist movements, which was evident in the speech published by Robert Habeck, the German Vice Chancellor, The German government circulated it widely, and it contained a clear threat of prosecution and deportation for anyone who “hostiles Israel,” whether Muslims or leftists.
Because of accusations of “anti-Semitism,” or the belief that organizing Palestinian events will harm public security, the movement finds major problems renting halls to organize seminars or show films, and even to celebrate Palestinian cooking and embroidery, according to what Diana confirms.
German organizations also refuse to work with the movement, as did the German branch of “Friday for Climate,” which announced its rejection of “Palestine Speaks” activists demonstrating in climate marches due to their position on Israel. In 2021, the municipality of Freiburg (south of the country) stopped funding an anti-racism festival, under the pretext The organizing party invited representatives of “Palestine Speaks.”
In the face of official restrictions, the movement finds a lot of support in Jewish peace-supporting groups, especially the “Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East” association and the “Jewish Anti-Fascist Union,” as it coordinates with them in order to contribute to organizing activities in support of Palestine, including Registering demonstrations with the authorities to avoid being banned.
A general climate that rejects the Palestinians
The defense of the Palestinian cause by Palestinians and others who sympathize with them has become difficult in Germany, since the German Parliament voted in May 2019 on a resolution criminalizing the Boycott of Israel (BDS) movement and classifying it as “anti-Semitic.” There have been cases of banning events denouncing the occupation and stopping cooperation with… Several Palestinian and international associations have recently reached the point of withdrawing prizes, stopping art exhibitions, and canceling lectures under the pretext of their owners’ support for this movement.
Speaking about the decision, which was already overturned by several courts in Germany and considered that it was taken as a means to prevent Palestinian activities and that it was unconstitutional, Diana says, “People believe that this decision is a law that must be strictly adhered to, and therefore they prevent us from carrying out our activities, while it is a non-binding decision.” There are several activists who have filed lawsuits against the federal government for relying on the decision to prevent several activities.”
Germany knows of a strong presence of the Palestinian diaspora, amid the difficulty of finding accurate statistics about their numbers, given that a number of them, especially children of refugees, do not have a Palestinian passport and travel on German, Jordanian, or Lebanese passports, or they are among the “Arabs of 1948” who possess Israeli passports, including Likewise, those who are registered in Germany are stateless.
One of the greatest achievements of the “Palestine Speaks” movement is that it inspired a group of young Germans to demonstrate in support of Palestine, especially among the left and anti-colonialists, amid media and political bias toward the Israeli narrative, as Palestinian groups are stereotyped into the circle of “extremism” and “anti-Israel.”
Diana confirms, “Now there are more Germans who want to do something for Palestine, and the number is increasing day after day. It has even reached the point where a left-wing German activist tore up his passport in Berlin in protest against Germany’s support for Israel.”