Musaab Abu Atta, a leading member of Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network and the Masar Badil, the Palestinian Alternative Revolutionary Path Movement, spoke to “Palestine Today” TV today during their news update, speaking about the political repression he and his comrades are facing in Germany. The Berlin immigration office imposed a comprehensive political ban on him at the same time that German immigration authorities are seeking to strip the residency of Zaid Abdulnasser, coordinator of Samidoun Network in Germany. “This ban came specifically to target the activity of people who are active in the Palestinian community, chanting for resistance and organizing the Arab neighbourhoods, where the community is present in large numbers. Today, this kind of repression is taking place because they believe they can silence this voice with such attacks,” Abu Atta said.
“We are a people who have been resisting for over 100 years,” Abu Atta said. “Our identity was founded through resistance, and our work in supporting the prisoners’ movement is a simple matter compared to the sacrifices and commitment of our people at home, from the martyrs of Jenin, Nablus and Gaza, to the struggle that has been continuing for decades.” He explained that these various repressive measures, including threats to withdraw residency permits for Palestinian refugees in Berlin and bans on political participation, are intended to stop the work defending the prisoners and raising their images in the streets, as this is the primary activity of Samidoun’s work in Berlin.
“When the Israeli ambassador came to the Arab street [Sonnenallee, a busy street with Arab community businesses] in Berlin, he said it looked like the streets of Gaza. This is one of the arguments given for this ban, under the argument that this can disrupt the relations of the Zionist occupation with Germany, given that the institutions of the occupation regime are closely monitoring these activities in the streets of Berlin,” he said.
“We do not rely on Europe to defend our rights. We must organize ourselves in the streets of Berlin and Europe in order to reclaim our rights. These measures will not silence us as individuals or groups, as we are continuing on the path of the martyrs and prisoners, a path founded by our Palestinian people,” he affirmed.
