A Palestinian-Syrian filmmaker accused Germany of being “an accomplice in the genocide committed by Israel in Gaza” during the Berlin Film Festival, prompting a German minister to withdraw from the awards ceremony.
The remarks by Abdullah Al-Khatib, whose film “Chronicles from the Siege” won the Emerging Directors Perspectives section, capped a politically charged festival, with organizers facing criticism from actors and directors for not taking a position on the war in Gaza.
Discussions about Israeli actions are particularly sensitive in Germany, which has become one of Israel’s staunchest supporters, mainly due to historical guilt over the Holocaust – a policy known as “Staatsraison.” The German government said that Israel has the right to self-defense after the attack launched by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
Al-Khatib said as he stood on stage, placing the keffiyeh on his shoulder and raising the Palestinian flag at the end of his speech late on Saturday evening, “Some people told me, ‘Maybe you should be careful before you say what I want to say now, because you are a refugee in Germany, and there are a lot of red lines. But I don’t care. I care about my people, about Palestine.’”
“So I will say my final word to the German government. You are complicit in the genocide that Israel is committing in Gaza. I think you are smart enough to realize this fact, but you have chosen not to care.”
German Environment Minister Carsten Schneider, who was among the audience, withdrew after these statements. “The Federal Minister finds these statements unacceptable and therefore left the event during the speech,” a ministry spokesman said on Sunday.
Human rights experts, scholars and a UN investigation say the Israeli attack on Gaza amounts to genocide. Israel strongly denies that its actions in Gaza constitute genocide and says they are justified as self-defense.
Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor praised Schneider’s response to the speech. He told the German newspaper Bild: “Respect for Minister Schneider and his moral clarity.”
Politically charged Berlinale
The Berlinale, known as the Berlinale, has a reputation for being more political than its counterparts, Venice and Cannes – and this year’s edition was marked by frequent discussions about the war in Gaza.
German director Wim Wenders used his recent appearance as jury president to urge filmmakers and activists to act as allies, not rivals, after his comment that filmmakers should not be political led to Indian novelist Arundhati Roy withdrawing.
Many other award winners used their speeches to express solidarity with the Palestinians.
Turkish director Emin Alper said, referring to Palestinians living in Gaza and other people around the world, “The least we can do here is break the silence and remind them that they are not truly alone.” (Reporting by Marcus Wackett and Matthias Williams; Editing by Helen Popper)
