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Month: April 2023

Demo-Bans do not protect us – Justice and Solidarity do!

An open letter by Jewish and Israeli Berliners


21/04/2023

(German text below)

We, Jews and Israelis living in Berlin, wish to express our opposition to the ban on all Palestinian demonstrations in the city last weekend and similar calls to ban future demonstrations. While we are concerned by the recently documented antisemitic incidents, we regard this blanket ban based on speculation over potential unlawful acts as discriminatory against the Palestinian minority in Germany and as a worrying precedent that will inevitably affect other marginalised communities. Moreover, such anti-democratic measures are tantamount to collective punishment and do not offer us real protection as Jews.

As the most right-wing government in the history of Israel is exacerbating its brutal occupation policies, Palestinians and their supporters must have the right to demonstrate against these breaches of international law, also in Berlin. Yet, even justified anger and despair should not lead to calls for anti-Jewish violence, and we rely on our Palestinian partners to condemn such expressions, and directly intervene should they occur.

A general ban on all Palestinian demonstrations, on the contrary, only serves to deepen the divide between our communities, make any dialogue impossible, and does nothing to address the root causes of violence. This is why we view the support of the ban by the Central Council of Jews in Germany as misguided and not representative of the diversity of Jewish opinions in Berlin.

In addition, we are alarmed by the language used by the Berlin court in confirming the ban – constructing a reference by protestors to the crime of Apartheid against Palestinians as another reason to forbid demonstrations. This kind of argumentation does not only cynically defame leading human rights organisations but could also be used to shut out many Israeli peace activists, journalists and academics.

As the 75th anniversary of the Nakba, which commemorates the displacement of Palestinians during the 1948 war, is approaching, we demand that the Berlin authorities stop their discriminatory policies and allow future demonstrations while protecting the rights of expression within the law for all Berliners – Palestinian, Jewish, or others.

Solidarity, protecting basic democratic rights, here and abroad, and joint action against all forms of racism, including antisemitism, are the only way forward!  

Our safety and our civil liberties depend on it!

First signatories:

  1. Dr. Michael Abraham
  2. Dr. Karen Adler
  3. Or Akta
  4. Dr. Hila Amit
  5. Tamar Amar-Dahl
  6. Lorena Atrakzy
  7. Yael Attia
  8. Yossi Bartal
  9. Gur Barzilai
  10. Noam Ben Chorin
  11. Eliana Ben-David
  12. Abraham Berg
  13. Prof. Y. Michal Bodemann
  14. Micah Brashear
  15. Candice Breitz
  16. Adam Broomberg
  17. Noam Brusilovsky
  18. Dalia Castel
  19. Emily Dische-Becker
  20. Guli Dolev-Hashiloni
  21. Tomer Dotan-Dreyfus
  22. Debby Farber
  23. Sylvia Finzi
  24. Erica Fischer
  25. Nimrod Flaschenberg
  26. Ruth Fruchtman
  27. Yaron Gal
  28. Tomer Gardi
  29. Rowan Gaudet
  30. Prof. Dr. Ido Geiger
  31. Dr. Anat Geller
  32. Tom Givol
  33. Dan Goldenblatt
  34. Assaf Gruber
  35. Maya Guttmann
  36. Gali Har-Gil
  37. Iris Hefets
  38. Shai Hoffmann
  39. Liad Hussein Kantorowicz
  40. Dr. Darja Klingenberg
  41. Michaela Kobsa-Mark
  42. Alma Itzhaky
  43. Sarah Milena Jochwed
  44. Michal Kaiser-Livne
  45. Uri Keller
  46. Aya Kenat Glick
  47. Maya Klar
  48. Charlie Kleinfeld
  49. Barrie Kosky
  50. Olaf Kuhnemann
  51. Danielle Lahav
  52. Na‘ama Landau
  53. Dr. Jacob K. Langford
  54. Tamir Lederberg
  55. Boaz Levin
  56. Dikla Levinger
  57. Shai Levy
  58. Adi Liraz
  59. Dr. Susan Loewenthal Lourenço
  60. Talya Lubinsky
  61. Ruth Luschnat
  62. Prof. Dr. Roni Mann
  63. Moriya Matityahu
  64. Danna Marshall
  65. Eva Menasse
  66. Ben Miller
  67. Yonatan Miller
  68. Ido Nahari
  69. Nicolette Naumann
  70. Prof. Dr. Susan Neiman
  71. Tamar Novick
  72. Hagar Ofir
  73. Anisia Onopriychuk Affek
  74. Rachel Pafe
  75. Deborah S. Phillips
  76. Jakob Pomeranzev
  77. Seth Pyenson
  78. Tamar Raphael
  79. Udi Raz
  80. Dr. Aviv Reiter
  81. Shay Rojansky
  82. Kari Rosenfeld
  83. Alon Sahar
  84. Sagi Schaefer
  85. Eran Schaerf
  86. Oded Schechter
  87. Miriam Schickler
  88. Jake Schneider
  89. Gaya von Schwarze
  90. Clement Segal
  91. Dr. Yael Sela-Teichler
  92. Shemi Shabat
  93. Ella Shechter
  94. Mati Shemoeloff
  95. Shir Shoval-Simhoni
  96. Prof. Dr. Marc Siegel
  97. Lili Sommerfeld
  98. Nirit Sommerfeld
  99. Shaked Spier
  100. Charlie Squire
  101. Maya Steinberg
  102. Virgil B/G Taylor
  103. Dr. Amir Theilhaber
  104. Ori Tor
  105.  Dr. Amit Varshizky
  106. Eyal Vexler
  107. Shira Wachsmann
  108. Dr. Ofer Waldman
  109. Daphna Westerman
  110. Rotem Yaniv
  111. Yehudit Yinhar
  112. Ben Zacharia
  113. May Zeidani Yufanyi
  114. Sharon Zelnick

 

Demo-Verbote schützen uns nicht – Gerechtigkeit und Solidarität schon!

Ein offener Brief von jüdischen und israelischen Berliner*innen

Wir, in Berlin lebende Jüdinnen*Juden und Israelis, wollen unseren Einspruch gegen das Verbot aller palästinensischen Demonstrationen in der Stadt am vergangenen Wochenende und ähnliche Verbotsforderungen künftiger Demonstrationen zum Ausdruck bringen. Auch wir sind besorgt über die vor kurzem dokumentierten antisemitischen Vorfälle. Dieses pauschale Verbot jedoch, das auf Spekulationen über mögliche rechtswidrige Handlungen beruht, sehen wir als diskriminierend gegenüber der palästinensischen Minderheit in Deutschland und als besorgniserregenden Präzedenzfall, der unweigerlich auch andere marginalisierte Communities betreffen wird. Solche antidemokratischen Maßnahmen kommen einer kollektiven Bestrafung gleich und bieten uns als jüdische Berliner*innen keinen wirksamen Schutz.

Während die rechteste Regierung in der Geschichte Israels ihre brutale Besatzungspolitik verschärft, müssen Palästinenser*innen und ihre Unterstützer*innen das Recht haben, gegen diese Verletzungen des Völkerrechts zu demonstrieren, auch in Berlin. Natürlich dürfen selbst berechtigte Wut und Verzweiflung nicht zu Aufrufen zu Gewalt gegen Jüdinnen*Juden führen, und wir zählen darauf, dass unsere palästinensischen Partner*innen solche Äußerungen verurteilen und direkt einschreiten, falls sie auftreten.

Ein generelles Verbot aller palästinensischen Demonstrationen vertieft die Kluft zwischen unseren Communities nur noch mehr. Es macht jeden Dialog unmöglich und bekämpft nicht die eigentlichen Ursachen der Gewalt. Deshalb halten wir die Unterstützung des Verbots durch den Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland für verfehlt und nicht repräsentativ für die Vielfalt der jüdischen Meinungen in Berlin.

Es beunruhigt uns, dass das Berliner Gericht in seiner Entscheidung auch ein Verweis von  Demonstrierenden auf das Verbrechen der Apartheid gegen Palästinenser*innen als weiteren Grund für das Verbot von Demonstrationen anführt. Diese Argumentation diffamiert auf zynische Weise führende Menschenrechtsorganisationen und könnte sogar instrumentalisiert werden, um zahlreiche israelische Friedensaktivist*innen, Journalist*innen und Wissenschaftler*innen auszugrenzen.

Da der 75. Jahrestag der Nakba, an dem der Vertreibung der Palästinenser*innen während des Krieges von 1948 gedacht wird, immer näher rückt, fordern wir die Berliner Behörden auf, ihre diskriminierende Politik zu beenden und künftige Demonstrationen zuzulassen, damit das Recht auf freie und rechtmäßige Meinungsäußerung für alle Berliner*innen – ob Palästinenser*innen, Jüdinnen*Juden oder andere – gewahrt bleibt.

Solidarität, der Schutz demokratischer Grundrechte hier und im Ausland, und gemeinsame Arbeit gegen alle Formen von Rassismus, einschließlich Antisemitismus, sind der einzige Weg vorwärts!  

Unsere Sicherheit und unsere Freiheitsrechte hängen davon ab!

Letter from the Editors: 20th April 2023

Küfa for Palestine, celebrate Italy’s liberation from Fascism, and remember the Armenian genocide


20/04/2023

Hello everyone,

Tomorrow evening (Friday) at 7pm, there is a screening of the film Factory to the workers. In 2005, the workers of a Croatian company occupied their factory for the production of tools. Since then, they have been managing their factory collectively. After the end of Yugoslavia and the return of capitalism in the post-socialist part of Europe, they are the only successful example. But they too are struggling with the conditions of the global market. Filmmaker Srđan Kovačević accompanied them over five years. In the end, the question remains: can a single collective business survive on the edge of capitalism, or does it need more? The film will be shown at MaHalle, Waldemarstrasse 110. Entrance is free.

On Saturday, at 1.30pm, there is a demonstration to mark the day of remembrance for the genocide in Armenia. The demonstration is happening because the genocide and the displacement of Armenians have no end. Today Armenians in Artsakh are suffering under pan-Turkism. Azerbaijan’s war of aggression in 2020 led to a blockade which prevents the only connection between Armenia and Artsakh. The demonstration organisers call on non-Armenians to show their solidarity, and the pain affects us all. The demo starts at Hermannplatz.

Starting at 2pm on Saturday, there will be an event on Oranienplatz in solidarity with the Turkish Green Left Party (Yeşil Sol). Speeches will be held (largely in Turkish), there will also be music and food.

Saturday also sees the next Berlin LINKE Internationals Küfa – an evening where internationals activists and eat together and discuss together. As ever, all food is free, but there will be a collection – this time for the reception at the coming meeting: 75 Years Nakba: Anti-Palestinian Racism and Repression in Berlin. The meeting is an important contribution to helping the German Left understand the ongoing struggle of Palestinians, and to build a serious anti-colonialist movement here. Note that this meeting will take place on 29th April and will now take place at Spreefeld, Wilhelmine-Gemberg-Weg 14 (the meeting will be conducted in German).

Sunday will see a day of action against the building of the A100 motorway, including a bicycle demo starting at Frankfurter Allee/Möllendorffstraße at 11am, and a concert on the motorway from 1pm near S-Bahn Tempelhof. The German transport minister does not see protecting the climate as his remit. Instead he wants to accelerate the building of motorways. The Berlin SPD is cozying up to the CDU which wants to build the A100 against the wishes of local residents and to extend it to Prenzlauer Berg. The protests want to set a sign for bicycle lanes, and investing in more public transport instead of concrete and environmentally damaging cars.

Sunday is also the anniversary of the liberation of Italy from Fascism. To celebrate the event, the Italian organisation ANPI is organising a celebration event Festa della Liberazione at Kolle 37, . Kollwitzstr. 35. ANPI Berlin-Brandenburg, Comites Berlin and VVN invite you to celebrate Liberation Day together with shows, music and a small food and wine offer. The proceeds will be donated to Mediterranea Saving Humans. ANPI are our Campaign of the Week.

Finally, on Wednesday at 6pm, there will be a demonstration at Potsdamer Platz to celebrate the Day of Lesbian Visibility. All L* and their supporters are warmly invited to join us in taking to the streets together for inclusive lesbian visibility. We want to be visible together, peacefully, in solidarity, and in a colorful and diverse way. So come out onto the streets with us on April 26th, join the ranks and let’s set a sign for inclusion and diversity together. Of course, we’re excited about your handmade signs, ideas, and chants, as well as your cheers from the sidelines.

This week is full of activities in Berlin, so make sure you find out what else is going on by looking at our Events page. You can see a shorter, but more detailed, list of Events which we are directly involved in here.

Remember that the preliminary programme for the LINKE Internationals annual Summer Camp is now online. Summer Camp takes place on 10th – 11th June in the Naturfeundehaus Hermsdorf, on the outskirts of Berlin. Please register to ensure free accommodation.

In News from Berlin, another pro-Palestine demo in Berlin is banned, and the FU student parliament comes into conflict with the police and politicians.

In News from Germany, Germany’s last nuclear power plant closes, environmental protestors from Letzte Generation are given jail sentences, the Green Party Conference refuses to discuss the clearing of Lützerath, and cannabis is decriminalized in Germany.

Read all about this week’s News from Berlin and Germany here.

New on theleftberlin this week, we interview the organisers of a workshop about refugees from Senegal, Hari Kumar looks at the Silicon Valley bailout, Anna Southern is frustrated about the Labour Left’s weak response to the continued attacks on Jeremy Corbyn, John Mullen looks at the response of French fascists to the recent protests, Palestinian photographer Rasha Al-Jundi writes about resisting the suppression of Palestinian voices in Germany, and Lana Birley explains how non-Germans can gain dual citizenship.

By the way, you can see a gallery of Rasha Al-Jundi’s photographs here.

In this week’s Radio Programme of the Week, Radio Berlin International talks to Rosemary Grennan from AGIT about cultural resistance in Berlin, and to Zaid from Samidoun about Palestinian prisoners.

You can follow us on the following social media:

If you would like to contribute any articles or have any questions or criticisms about our work, please contact us at team@theleftberlin.com. And do encourage your friends to subscribe to this Newsletter.

Keep on fighting

The Left Berlin Editorial Board

ANPI

National Association of Italian Partisans – Associazione Nazionale Partigiani d’Italia


19/04/2023

After its establishment in 1944, ANPI’s mission has been to foster the values of democracy, freedom and peace that had inspired the antifascist Resistance. ANPI is open to all antifascists with no distinction of nationality and counts over 130000 members. ANPI Berlin-Brandenburg was founded in 2018 and since then has been promoting these same values in education, arts and politics. We have a standing partnership with the VVN-BdA.

The Resistance in Italy played a crucial role in the military defeat of nazi Germany, which had deployed in the occupation up to eight divisions of the Wehrmacht. The Resistance inspired the drafting, in 1947, of a strongly antifascist Constitution based on the values of democracy and social justice.

In the past year, the current political situation both in Italy and abroad has pushed even more people to become members of ANPI. On April 25th Italy celebrates its Liberation from nazifascism. This year we will meet on Sunday 23 April at Kolle 307 to enjoy performance, music, food and each other’s company in the spirit of antifascism.

Radio Berlin International #23 (2023-04-16)

Archiving Agitation / Palestinian Prisoners


In this episode, we hear from:

This week’s playlist is:

  • Electrelane – This Deed
  • Scott Walker – The Old Man’s Back Again
  • Samidoun Network – صولي
  • فرقة الفجر الفلسطينية – عنيد انا
  • System of a Down – BYOB

This episode is presented by Ali Khan. The producer is Tom Wills.

Please tell us what you think of the show by emailing radio@theleftberlin.com. Don’t forget to include your name and where you’re listening from, and we’ll read out as many messages as possible on the air.

News from Berlin and Germany, 19th April 2023

Weekly news round-up from Berlin and Germany


NEWS FROM BERLIN

Administrative Court confirms ban on pro-Palestinian demo in Berlin

The planned pro-Palestinian demonstration at Hermannplatz in Neukölln last Saturday was banned. This was the decision of the Higher Administrative Court (OVG). The judges cited similar dangers as the police and the previous administrative court, where the case had first been considered. According to their own statements, the police were nevertheless on duty: Berlin police tweeted officers remained on the ground around Hermannplatz in Neukölln. There were squad cars around the registered assembly point at Hermannplatz, and according to a spokesperson, 360 officers were on duty. However, at the originally scheduled time of the rally at 5.30 p.m., everything was calm, there was no crowd. Source: rbb

FU Berlin student representatives´ criticize MPs

Last February, Asta, the student representative´s organisation of Freie Universität (FU) Berlin, sent out warnings about a man on campus committing acts of sexual violence. Asta also recommended those affected to call in the social psychiatric service. People who belong to a marginalised group were advised not to contact the police in view of practices such as racial profiling. The Berlin police, on their turn, accused Asta of protecting perpetrators instead of victims. And, since then, Asta had to answer many parliamentary questions– the organisation can currently hardly do justice to its actual task of representing student interests. Source: tagesspiel

NEWS FROM GERMANY

Germany says goodbye to nuclear power

There has been an ongoing dispute over Germany’s nuclear power plants.  The governing coalition of the SPD, the Greens and the FDP agreed to stick to Germany’s nuclear planned phase-out, decided in 2011 by previous governments. The last nuclear power plants were previously set to close by the end of 2022. But Russia’s war against Ukraine changed everything once Russian gas supplies to Germany stopped and an energy emergency was feared. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) then pushed the phase-out date back until April 15 2023. The power plants ran for a total of 22,596 days. Source: dw

Last Generation: Imprisonment for another road blockade

Because they had blocked streets again directly after a conviction, three activists of the Last Generation now must spend several months in prison. After a nine-hour trial, the Heilbronn district court sentenced two men and one woman to prison terms of five, four and three months without the possibility of probation. According to the public prosecutor’s office and activists, the sentence is the harshest ever imposed on members of the Last Generation in Germany. Another defendant was sentenced to three months’ probation. The sentence is not yet final. One of the sentenced justified his actions: “Peaceful, civil protest is part of the history of democracy”. Source: taz

NRW Greens: Almost no word on Lützerath

Party conventions are not necessarily the events where parties review decisions from the past: looking forward is usually the order of the day. Certainly no one can blame the Greens for celebrating their success on Sunday morning when the last three German nuclear power plants went off the grid. However, another topic one might have expected to be discussed, was not to be heard. That is; the evacuation of Lützerath in January and the associated lignite mining until 2030. This was despite a long list of signatures from Green Party members before the place´s evacuation. Source: nd-aktuell

Legalisation of cannabis in Germany: some key points

The federal government has initiated the partial legalisation of cannabis. Potentially, in the near future, the purchase and possession of up to 25 grams of cannabis from the age of 18 will be exempt from punishment. The cultivation of few cannabis plants is also to be permitted at home. In addition, the federal government wants to allow the cultivation and distribution of the drug in special associations. In principle, cannabis should no longer be legally classified as a narcotic. The consumption near schools or day-care centres will not be allowed. Source: mdr