Massive German protests against Berlin’s support for Israel.
Organizers of the massive rally on Saturday, titled “All Eyes on Gaza, Stop the Genocide,” called for “an end to German complicity” in Israel’s actions in Gaza. Protesters demanded “an end to all military cooperation with Israel, including the import, export, and transport of weapons, ammunition, and other military equipment.”
The actions of the Israeli government have been described by international experts and organizations as genocide, and the International Court of Justice is currently examining these accusations, according to a statement from the rally’s organizers. Despite the evidence of widespread Israeli crimes in Gaza, the German government continues to deny the systematic violence.
The crowd chanted “Free Palestine” and “Long Live Palestine,” while holding posters that read “Stop the genocide in Gaza,” “No one should experience these conditions again,” and “Freedom for Palestine.” Many protesters displayed Palestinian flags.
Previous protests against Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip have seen thousands gather in Berlin. Initial police estimates indicated that around 18,000 people assembled in front of Berlin’s city hall on Saturday. This demonstration was organized by a broad coalition of about 50 groups, including pro-Palestinian organizations, Medico International, Amnesty International, and the opposition Left Party. They called for an immediate halt to German arms exports to Israel, access to humanitarian aid for Gaza, and EU sanctions against Israel.
“Ines Schördtner, the leader of the Left Party of Germany, stated, ‘German Chancellor Friedrich Mertz and his ministers talk but do not act. They discuss ‘national reasons’ while hospitals in Gaza are being destroyed. They remain silent about genocide and are complicit in it.'”
A new poll published on Tuesday revealed that 62 percent of Germans believe Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide. This poll is putting increasing pressure on the German government to reconsider its stance on Israel. While Chancellor Mertz and Foreign Minister Johannes Waddefuhl have recently intensified their criticism of Israel’s military offensive and the humanitarian blockade of Gaza, they have avoided using the term “genocide,” instead referring to the “disproportionate” use of force by the Israeli military.
The German Left Party called on Chancellor Mertz’s government to recognize Palestine as a state and warned that Berlin’s continued support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration could make Germany complicit in war crimes in Gaza. The United Nations Fact-Finding Commission recently announced in a report that the Israeli regime committed genocide in Gaza, attributing incitement of these actions to senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Netanyahu.
With support from the United States, the Israeli government has launched a devastating war against the residents of the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, leading to widespread destruction and severe famine. This conflict has resulted in the deaths and injuries of thousands of Palestinians, many of whom are women and children.