Palestinian writer Salman Abu Sitta ‘red cloth’ – ‘Members of anti-Israel boycott BDS movement and far-left’ organizers according to Berlin authorities
Advertising
The state’s authorities announced the complete cancellation of the “Conference for Palestine”, which started yesterday Friday in Berlin and was to last until Sunday. Earlier, the police had intervened to interrupt the work of the meeting, when the Palestinian writer Salman Abu Sitta, who has been banned from entry and political activity in Germany, was speaking via internet connection.
The “Conference on Palestine” had already caused intense controversy, as the German authorities consider it to be organized by “members of the BDS boycott movement hostile to Israel, members of far-left groups and sects”, while the federation and state had warned of “consistent action, if anti-Semitic statements or crimes occur at this meeting.”
Last night, during a video message to the delegates, Salman Abu Sita, who recently wrote on his personal blog that if he were younger (he is 86 years old), he would have participated in the Hamas attack on Israel, approx. 250 police entered the conference building and asked the attendees to leave. The police had previously cut off the power supply to the site.
About 2,500 police officers were on hand to guard the Congress throughout the weekend, while until yesterday morning the venue remained unknown. According to the statements of a police representative, the reason for the interruption was indeed the speech of the Palestinian writer, who is not allowed to enter the country, nor any political activity, even online. After examining the legal aspect of the matter, it was decided to completely cancel the Conference, explained the representative, who at the same time pointed out that the organizers of the event can certainly appeal against the decision.
Earlier, Berlin’s home affairs senator Iris Spranger (SPD) made it clear that if the conference was found to be spreading hate messages, the event would be dissolved immediately. In particular, Mrs. Spranger had referred to the possibility that the participants would question the right to exist of the state of Israel.
Among the speakers at the Conference was to be the founder of MERA25 and former Minister of Finance Yanis Varoufakis.