Beyond Borders: Navigating Protest Constraints in the Israel-Palestine Debate within Germany
By Electra Moutsouri, 4 minutes.
The conflict between Israel and Palestine traces back to the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, leading to the displacement of 700,000 Palestinians known as the Nakba. A truce agreement in 1949 divided the territory, leaving no new state for the displaced Palestinians. The Six-Day War in 1967 resulted in Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. Hamas, an Islamist militant group, gained control of Gaza in 2008 after winning legislative elections in 2006 and seized control of Gaza in 2008 by ousting the Fatah movement of West Bank president Mahmoud Abbas.
Subsequent battles between militants in Gaza and Israel have occurred, with both countries imposing a partial blockade on Gaza. Fatah, founded in 1959, initially engaged in armed resistance and later transitioned into political participation. Despite internal divisions, Fatah remains influential, controlling the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and contributing to conflict resolution efforts.
Picture taken by: Nizza Cohen on 8th November 2023’
Graffiti by Graffitiul in Kiryat Al-Malacha Tel Aviv shows Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the form of children playing.
Efforts for unity between Hamas and Fatah have been made with agreements to form interim governments, hold elections, and pursue reconciliation. The United Nations has addressed human rights issues and recognized the Palestinian's right to self-determination. Despite international resolutions, the situation remains complex with ongoing struggles and the call for an end to the Israeli occupation.
Within the context of the Israel-Palestine conflict, where narratives are as contested as the lands themselves, the lens through which the world views this is heavily influenced by the media. The media plays a crucial role in conveying important information about wars and conflicts, serving as a primary source of news and analysis for the public. However, authors, activists, journalists, filmmakers, and even active social media users have noticed that posts containing the hashtags ‘’FreePalestine’’, and ‘’IStandWithPalestine’’, as well as messages expressing support for civilian Palestinians killed by Israeli forces are being hidden by some platforms.
They are seen to be taken down for violating ‘’community guidelines’’, even when they do not contain graphic images or hate speech. Media censorship is not something new, it goes on from the 1620s up until contemporary times, it is the government's way of routing around certain information or data to manipulate the readers. This prevents Palestinians from establishing context surrounding the events that are affecting their lives.
However, beyond the headlines and political rhetoric lies a web of information control, where nations, including Germany, play a significant role in shaping the narrative and controlling the flow of information related to the conflict. For centuries, protests have been a way of expressing support for a cause, idea, or individual to promote awareness and advocate for a particular issue. Yet, freedom of expression does not extend to the Palestinian cause.
Germany, with its historical context and commitment to freedom of expression, finds itself at a crossroad, navigating the delicate balance between allowing open discourse and preventing the spread of potentially harmful narratives. Administrative courts have banned many demonstrations because they pose ‘’an imminent danger to public safety, and order’’, suggesting that the police expect acts of violence and property damage. As the police force surrounds the event and repeatedly singles out individual participants holding critical signs, demonstrations are permitted under limited conditions. Flags of organizations classified as terrorist groups in Germany, such as Hamas, the Popular Front of the Liberation of Palestine, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah are all prohibited.
Signs supporting Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel are also prohibited, as well as banners publicly endorsing murder, manslaughter, rape, and hostage-taking and calling for violence against people or institutions.
On October 13, Berlin police declared uttering the slogan ‘’From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’’ forbidden and indictable. However, an outright ban is always the last resort. Instead, demonstration organizers often receive orders to remove illegal placards, and banners, or to intervene in case of verbal offenses. It is known that police violence against protesters has been reported in major German cities, where authorities argue that such measures are necessary to prevent public disorder and antisemitism. During a rally, the speakers explicitly condemned antisemitism, as well as any form of discrimination and violence against specific population groups. From the Neukölln protests have been disturbing, minors arrested for wearing the colours of the Palestinian flag, and a woman of Jewish-Israeli descent detained for carrying an anti-war message in Hermannplatz, a central square in Neukölln.
Protesters have voiced that the freedom of expression is limited, in particular when advocating for the Palestinian cause, but accepted only if they supported Israel. Most pro-Palestinian demonstrations were banned in Berlin because the local authorities feared an outburst of violence or anti-Semitism. The German government said that they need to protect Jewish communities given the rise of anti-Semitic violence since the attacks by Hamas, which is deemed a terrorist group by the EU and several countries. This issue has become particularly acute because of the killing of 6 million European Jews in the Holocaust by the Nazis.
In a protest that took place in Central Berlin, was an elderly German woman who was preparing to attend a march calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip was led by officers away to their van in order to have her sign checked. The sign she held indicated that she was ashamed of being German and that there was a ‘’genocide’’ taking place in the Palestinian enclave which which is being bombarded by Israel. Luckily, the officers let her go, but whilst the rally was taking place, a group of officers in riot gear readied themselves in front of a crowd of chanting protesters.
A proposal has been taken into consideration which suggests the revocation of citizenship, residency, welfare benefits, or funding frm anyone accused of making anti-Semetic staments. In addition to this proposal, a plan has floated which suggests to only allow ‘’native Germans’’ to protest.
The struggle for freedom of expression and the right to protest in Germany, within the context of this conflict, highlights the challenges of balancing open discourse with concerns about public safety and potential incitement. The German government’s measures to restrict certain expressions and demonstrations are framed as efforts to prevent violence and anti-Semitism. Still, they have sparked debates about the limits of freedom of speech, especially in advocating for the Palestinian cause. As the conflict persists, efforts toward understanding and resolution remain critical, with the need for a nuanced approach that respects both the right to express diverse perspectives and the imperative to address legitimate security concerns.
