In 2019 the German parliament, Bundestag, passed a resolution which denounces the Palestinian BDS movement as antisemitic and calla on all federal bodies, municipalities and other institutions to halt any form of support given to groups or individuals associated with BDS.
One year later a little group of plaintiffs issued a law-suit against the Bundestag (Az. VG 2 K 79/20). Now, after another year and a half and virtually hundreds of pages of communication and documents exchanged between the court and the lawyers involved, the court case is coming home to the capital city.
On Thursday, October 7th, 12pm the first court hearing is taking place at Verwaltungsgericht Berlin, Kirchstraße 7. The court might deliver a verdict subsequently.
The plaintiffs are Amir Ali (Palestine Speaks, Munich/Berlin), Judith Bernstein (Jewish-Palestinian Dialogue Group, Munich) and Christoph Glanz (BDS Initiative Oldenburg). They´ve dubbed their project #BT3P, which stands for “Bundestag 3 for Palestine” and presents itself as a “Palestinian-Jewish-German initiative” . They argue that the Bundestag´s resolution is anti-democratic and racist, chiefly so towards Palestinians, and therefore want to see it nullified in court. The issuing of a law-suit by activists against the parliament itself is a daring enterprise and a first in German history.
They are represented by Berlin-based lawyer Ahmed Abed who is also a politician in Berlin Neukölln´s BVV with DIE LINKE.
The BT3P are inviting activists, friends and supporters to come to join them at the demonstration scheduled for 11am in front of the court building. Due to Corona restriction unfortunately only a selected number of very few visitors are allowed in to attend the court hearing itself starting at 12pm. The following press conference is scheduled for 4pm, but the venue will only be published at short notice on the BT3P´s homepage and twitter account because they fear that otherwise massive pressure will be excerted on the owners- as it has been the case dozens of times before in Germany.
The BT3P are enjoying international support. Joining them at the press conference in person or via live-stream are:
- Bertrand Heilbronn, board member of Association France Palestine Solidarité, France
- Ben Jamal, board member of Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Great Britain
- Prof. John Reynolds, expert on International Law, National University of Galway, Irland and
- Alice Garcia, Communication Officer of the. ELSC European Legal Support Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The BT3P in their own words:
“Needless to say, we are very glad to come to Berlin for this exciting occasion. We are determined to counter the rogue racism entailed in the Bundestag´s anti-BDS resolution and if need be we will go to further courts to have the resolution nullified. While for the time being the judicial aspect of this case naturally is our primary focus, we are not so naive to think that the deeply-entrenched German “Staatsräson” can simply be nullified in court. Therefore we rather see this case as a trigger for solidarity, a chance to reach out to other like-minded movements in order to push for a substantial change in the absurd German discourse on everything Israel and Palestine. This absurdity has reached another low when German-Palestinian journalist Nemi El-Hassan very recently got fired for liking posts of Jewish Voice for Peace.
We hope that our international friends will see this event for what it is: a great opportunity to mingle. connect and practise international solidarity. We also hope that they will understand the organisational hardships that Corona restrictions and the full schedule present to us. That being said: welcome to everyone to whom human rights and a just world for all are dear!”
The BT3P are open for press requests and can be reached via the contacts below.
Das BT3P Team