On Saturday, 17 August, Palestinian writer Khaled Barakat spoke in Berlin after the end of the political ban imposed on him by the German state. Joining him were Samidoun’s international coordinator, Charlotte Kates and European coordinator, Mohammed Khatib. Thanks to solidarity video network Public Solidarity, videos of the talks are now available online for those who were unable to attend the event.
Watch the videos below:
Charlotte Kates:
Khaled Barakat:
Mohammed Khatib:
Watch all three videos as a playlist:
The event came in response to escalating repression in Germany targeting the Palestinian community and the Palestine solidarity movement, at the same time that this movement is on the rise. Recent incidents have included:
* the political ban imposed on Palestinian writer Khaled Barakat and the use of anti-Palestinian arguments to deny him a residency visa renewal
* the anti-BDS resolution passed by the Bundestag
* the political ban and stripping of the Schengen visitor visa targeting Rasmea Odeh, former Palestinian political prisoner and community leader
* the criminal prosecution of activists for interrupting an Israeli official speaker involved in the war on Gaza at Humboldt University
* the closure of the bank account of Jewish Voices for a Just Peace and other organizations in Germany
* the cancellation of performance invitations to American rapper Talib Kweli and Scottish rappers Young Fathers for their support for the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement
* the forced resignation of the director of the Jewish Museum in Berlin for tweeting a link to a statement against the Bundestag’s anti-BDS resolution written by Jewish scholars
