Silenced solidarity: The perils of supporting Palestinian justice in Germany

One of my Palestinian friends in Berlin tells me, "Germany is the worst place for us right now after the events in Gaza."

This sentiment is not an isolated view, but rather a sentiment widely shared among Palestinian men and women in Germany, as well as Arab communities, and anyone standing with the Palestinian people today.

In a country that upholds the banner of freedoms of all shades and colors, and grants the right to peaceful protest for any cause, no matter how small or large, the Palestinian cause is made to seem problematic. The German stance appears to openly accept the killing of Palestinian civilians while turning a blind eye to Israel, which exerts significant control over German domestic and foreign policies.

In a country that upholds the banner of freedoms and grants the right to protest any cause, the Palestinian cause is problematic. The German stance appears to openly accept the killing of Palestinian civilians, while turning a blind eye to Israel's war crimes

Here, the authorities do not exercise logic, reason or political wisdom when dealing with the Palestinian issue. Directives are issued from the Interior Ministry to ban raising the Palestinian flag, wearing the keffiyeh, or chanting in support of Palestine and its freedom. These charges are considered sufficient grounds for arbitrary arrest, detention and prosecution on charges of anti-Semitism.

In the city of Berlin, where Arabs make up nearly half of the total population, and in neighborhoods and areas predominantly inhabited by Arab migrants and refugees of Arab origins, an incident occurred where a 14-year-old high school student raised the Palestinian flag at school and was met with physical assault and battery by his teacher. This took place last week in the Neukölln district, a predominantly Arab-populated neighborhood.

After the incident, schools across various regions released statements condemning the barbaric actions and brutal violence perpetrated by Hamas, demanding days of mourning in solidarity with the killing of Israelis, completely ignoring the Israeli attacks on Gaza, the deaths affecting innocent civilians, including women, children, men, the elderly, cats, dogs, and even the very air that Gazans breathe.

Amidst a climate of utter suffocation, Arab resentment in Germany has been increasingly on the rise. Small-scale gatherings and movements are trying to stage protests in Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, and other cities, often facing off against riot police, arrests, and trials.

This isn't a novel occurrence within German politics. Authorities maintain a consistent practice of removing posters, photos, and any expressions of solidarity with Palestine, and are tightening their grip on Palestinian activism within Germany, even prohibiting all demonstrations during the anniversary of the Nakba as well, as if they are attempting to erase history through enforced conformity of public sentiment and political decisions. This includes strategies to instill fear like threats of deportation, the withdrawal and revocation of citizenship, prosecution and trials, and other intelligence tactics employed by governments.

The German authorities even prohibit all demonstrations during the Nakba commemoration, as if they're attempting to erase history through enforced conformity of public sentiment, using strategies to instill fear like threats of deportation and prosecution

As journalists, whether of Arab descent or not, we are encountering multiple forms of restrictions and suppression. We find ourselves, on both our personal and public pages, pressured to self-censor and refrain from sharing any content that displays sympathy for the Palestinian cause or solidarity with its people.

This suppression extends beyond Arab communities to impact Turkish and Iranian communities, as well as other groups that align with the Palestinian cause. The restrictions also reach European supporters who oppose the official German stance. A German friend who is a political activist working for a German organization affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says, "There's no room for moderation or rational discourse in Germany today. Even members of the Green Party, who are typically advocates for human rights and adhere to a moderate, open path, cannot engage in any dialogue regarding the German state's stance on Palestine", adding that, "Logic is completely absent, and I do not advise anyone to attempt confronting this overwhelming pro-Israel current."

"There's no room for moderation or rational discourse in Germany today. Even the Green Party that typically advocates for human rights and adheres to a moderate path, cannot engage in any dialogue over the German stance on Palestine. Logic is completely absent"

German society has transformed into a pressured, stifled can, teetering on the brink of explosion at any given moment. The German state fully comprehends that its support for Israeli violence – such as the suspension of all aid to the Palestinian territories, backing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while providing weaponry, and branding any dissenting opinion as anti-Semitic – will have profound and far-reaching repercussions.

Internal anger in schools

The son of my Syrian friend attends sports and physical education classes in a designated school in the capital, Berlin. The instructor, a German man of Turkish origin, teaches the children sports, dance, and music-related movements. According to my friend's 14-year-old son, during a class, the music paused for a moment, and the German-Turkish instructor looked at them and asked who speaks Arabic. Some children raised their hands, and the instructor continued, "I know some Arabic words as well, because I have many Palestinian friends." Silence enveloped the training hall, and suddenly, the instructor yelled out at the top of his lungs, "Free Palastine!"

The hall trembled, and some of the kids were dumbfounded, while my friend's son began applauding him enthusiastically, prompting other children to join in on the applause.

A 15-year-old Palestinian student in Berlin also shared that she and her friends placed small papers in their school carrying the words, "Free Palestine".

The school administration went into a frenzy trying to identify the culprits. She described the situation as resembling an interrogation by intelligence agencies. She questions, "Why should we turn a blind eye to the ongoing genocide, ethnic cleansing and killings committed by Israel today? If my mother allowed me, I wouldn't stay silent for one minute."

A state of agitation and anticipation engulfs Germany today, particularly in the capital Berlin. The more the German authorities intensify their crackdown on those who support Palestinians, the higher the likelihood of violent incidents and clashes in public places, buses, and schools, especially among the younger age groups, where controlling their reactions and their passionate solidarity with Gaza becomes increasingly challenging

Official reactions

The disappointing official German reactions were made known by Chancellor Olaf Scholz from the very outset. He wrote on the X platform, "The news is terrifying; the escalation of violence has deeply shaken Germany. We stand firmly with Israel."

German Interior Minister Nancy Weiser announced that the security measures and alert status for Jewish buildings in would be increased to protect them from potential attacks.

While it appears challenging to control Arab reactions on the streets of Arab communities, such as the Sonnenallee (“Sun Avenue”) street in Berlin and other areas, where people started distributing baklava during the initial days of the military escalation launched by Hamas against Israel, German television outlets conducted interviews with some of these individuals, though they deleted these interviews mere minutes after airing.

A state of agitation and anticipation engulfs Germany today, particularly in the capital city of Berlin. The more the German authorities intensify their crackdown on those who support Palestinians, the higher the likelihood of violent incidents and clashes in public places, buses, and schools. This is especially true among the younger age groups, where controlling their reactions and their passionate solidarity with Gaza becomes increasingly challenging. While grappling with heightened suppression as journalists and demonstrating solidarity with our colleagues in Gaza, we are faced with tough and challenging choices—continuing our work anonymously or be suppressed into maintaining our silence.

* The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Raseef22