MERA25 member and other activists arrested at peaceful pro-Palestine protest outside German Bundestag
A MERA25 member and activists from other organisations were arrested at a peaceful pro-Palestine protest camp in front of the German Bundestag on Friday, April 26. German police raided and banned the camp, forcibly removing people one by one.
The protest camp, established on April 8, has been facing significant police intervention. Authorities have been actively curtailing the movement by arresting peaceful activists and prohibiting chants and Muslim prayers. In Germany, fundamental democratic principles such as the rule of law, freedom of speech, and the right to assembly are increasingly being dismantled, with unanimous support from the political establishment.
These arrests occurred just a few weeks after Yanis Varoufakis, the leader of Greece‘s MeRA25 political party, was prohibited from entering Germany. This ban was imposed during the Palestine Congress in Berlin, where Varoufakis was scheduled to speak. German authorities not only barred his entry but also restricted his involvement in any political activities within the country, extending the prohibition to digital platforms. The basis for these restrictions was his planned speech at the Palestine Congress, which authorities ultimately censored.
A member of DiEM25 and @mera25_de has just been arrested at a protest camp outside the German parliament.
We denounce the police violence against peaceful protestors. The rule of law, freedom of speech, and assembly rights are under threat in Germany with political support. pic.twitter.com/pfQTUv0663
— DiEM25 (@DiEM_25) April 26, 2024
The democratic decline of Europe
In defence of fundamental rights and public liberties in Europe: A radically democratic plea from a legal perspective
We find ourselves at a crucial moment for the defence of democratic principles and fundamental rights in Europe. The recent actions by German authorities, such as the prohibition of the Palestine Congress, the denial of entry to DiEM25 co-founder Yanis Varoufakis, and the detention and expulsion of Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah, are clear indications of a concerning decline in respect for human rights and public liberties within the European Union (EU).
In this plea, we aim to address these violations from a radically democratic and legal perspective, delving into European jurisprudential doctrine and relevant legislation, in order to urgently call for action in defence of democracy and fundamental rights in Europe.
Legal foundation of fundamental rights in the European Union
The legal framework protecting rights in the EU is solid and rooted in a series of top-tier legal instruments. Firstly, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, proclaimed in 2000 and with binding force since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty in 2009, establishes a comprehensive set of civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights that are applicable in all EU Member States. This Charter is grounded in the principles of human dignity, freedom, equality, and solidarity, and constitutes the fundamental pillar of rights protection in the European context.
Additionally, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), adopted by the Council of Europe in 1950 and binding for EU Member States through their accession to the Lisbon Treaty, provides additional protection of fundamental rights on the continent. The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), established under the ECHR, is a key judicial body in the protection of human rights in Europe, issuing binding jurisprudence that influences decisions of national courts and policies of Member States.
Lastly, the Lisbon Treaty and the Treaty on European Union (TEU) establish respect for fundamental rights as one of the EU’s fundamental values, alongside democracy and the rule of law. These treaties confer competences to EU institutions to protect and promote fundamental rights within the scope of their activities, and establish monitoring and control mechanisms to ensure compliance with these obligations by Member States.
The prohibition of the Palestine Congress and the denial of entry to Yanis Varoufakis: Flagrant violations of fundamental rights
The recent prohibition of the Palestine Congress in Germany and the denial of entry to Yanis Varoufakis constitute flagrant violations of the fundamental rights enshrined in European legislation and ECtHR jurisprudence. Firstly, freedom of expression, enshrined in Article 10 of the ECHR and Article 11 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, is a fundamental right that protects individuals’ ability to express and disseminate ideas without interference from the State.
The prohibition of the Palestine Congress and the denial of entry to Varoufakis constitute clear interference with this right, by impeding the free expression of opinions on a matter of public interest and international relevance.
Secondly, the right to peaceful assembly, protected by Article 11 of the ECHR and Article 12 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, guarantees individuals’ right to assemble peacefully and associate with others for the protection of their common interests. The prohibition of the Palestine Congress represents a direct and flagrant violation of this right, by preventing the holding of a peaceful event and the association of individuals to address a matter of public interest.
Additionally, the denial of entry to Yanis Varoufakis in Germany constitutes a violation of the right to freedom of movement, recognized in Article 45 of the TEU and Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. This right guarantees the free movement of persons within the Schengen area and prohibits any discrimination based on nationality. The denial of entry to Varoufakis and his exclusion from participating in political activities in Germany constitute a clear violation of this principle, undermining the integrity of the Schengen area and limiting the freedom of movement of European citizens.
ECtHR Jurisprudential Doctrine and Protection of Fundamental Rights in Europe
The jurisprudence of the ECtHR plays a fundamental role in the protection of fundamental rights in Europe, providing guidance on the interpretation and application of the ECHR in individual cases.
On numerous occasions, the ECtHR has established that restrictions on freedom of expression and freedom of assembly must be justified by compelling reasons, such as national security or the protection of the rights of others, and must be proportionate and necessary in a democratic society.
In the case of Lingens v. Austria, the ECtHR established that restrictions on freedom of expression must be interpreted restrictively and can only be justified in exceptional circumstances. Similarly, in the case of Ezelin v. France, the ECtHR held that restrictions on the right to assembly must be proportionate to the legitimate aim pursued and cannot go beyond what is strictly necessary in a democratic society.
Regarding the denial of entry to Yanis Varoufakis in Germany, the ECtHR has established on different occasions that restrictions on the right to freedom of movement must be justified by legitimate and proportionate reasons and must respect the principles of non-discrimination and proportionality. The ECtHR has ruled on several occasions that the expulsion of an individual from the territory of a Member State must be based on an individual assessment of their situation and cannot be based on stereotypes or prejudices.
Ethical and political implications of violations of fundamental rights in Europe
The recent violations of fundamental rights in Europe raise not only legal concerns but also significant ethical and political implications. Firstly, these actions reflect a worrying regression in respect for diversity of opinions and political tolerance in Europe. Democracy is founded on mutual respect and the ability to debate and dissent in a civilized manner, even on controversial issues. The prohibition of the Palestine Congress and the denial of entry to Yanis Varoufakis in Germany demonstrate an intolerance towards divergent opinions and an attempt to impose a uniform approach.
Secondly, these actions undermine the credibility of the EU as a defender of human rights and democracy on the international stage. The EU presents itself as a committed actor in promoting democratic values and fundamental rights worldwide. However, the prohibition of the Palestine Congress and the denial of entry to Yanis Varoufakis in Germany send a contradictory message and undermine the credibility of the European Union in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Additionally, these actions fuel fears of growing authoritarianism in Europe and jeopardize the rule of law and democracy on the continent. Respect for fundamental rights and public liberties is a fundamental pillar of democracy, and any erosion of these principles undermines the legitimacy and stability of democratic regimes.
Conclusions and recommendations: For a truly democratic and free Europe
In conclusion, the recent violations of fundamental rights in Europe are unacceptable and demand a strong response from civil society, European institutions, and Member States. It is essential that the fundamental rights of all individuals are respected and protected, regardless of their political opinions or beliefs. This requires a renewed commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and the fundamental values of the EU.
To address this situation, it is necessary to adopt a series of concrete measures. Firstly, it is imperative that EU Member States and European institutions fulfil their legal and ethical obligations regarding human rights and fundamental freedoms. This includes respecting ECtHR decisions and effectively implementing the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU in all areas of political and legal activity.
Additionally, civil society and human rights organizations must mobilize and denounce any violations of fundamental rights, pressuring authorities to fulfil their legal and ethical obligations. The defence of human rights and fundamental freedoms is the responsibility of everyone and requires collective and coordinated action to ensure their protection and promotion in Europe and beyond.
Only through unwavering respect for fundamental rights and democratic principles can we build a truly democratic, free, and just Europe for all citizens. It is time to act with determination and firmness in defence of democracy and human rights in Europe.
Unite for Earth Day: Rally against war’s assault on our planet
Join us in the rebellion for peace and the planet this Earth Day
We need to foster international cooperation and solidarity to address environmental challenges collectively, transcending borders and divisions. That is why we are organising a pan-European action.
This Earth Day, let’s stand together as guardians of our planet. Join us in protest, advocacy, and activism to defend the Earth from the ravages of war. Together, we can create a future where peace reigns, and our environment thrives.
Warfare leaves scars on more than just the human psyche. From deforestation and habitat destruction to pollution and toxic waste, the environmental toll of war is immense. Bombs and artillery tear through ecosystems, contaminating land, water, and air. The use of fossil fuels in military operations contributes to climate change, exacerbating natural disasters and endangering wildlife. It’s time to recognize war as one of the greatest threats to our planet’s health.
The escalating genocide in Palestine has now put the spotlight on emissions and environmental damages resulting from war. Reports suggest that Israel dropped around 25,000 tonnes of munitions on Gaza in the first few weeks of the war. The carbon emissions from this would be equivalent to the annual energy use of approximately 2,300 homes or the annual greenhouse gas emissions from about 4,600 passenger vehicles.
On the other hand, in the first eighteen months into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, greenhouse gas emissions have totalled nearly 150 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions (tCO2e), according to the report by Initiative on GHG accounting of war; with numbers now being even higher. This is equivalent to the annual GHG emissions from a highly industrialised country like Belgium. Direct GHG emissions from warfare alone have nearly reached 37 million tCO2e, with fuel consumption by Russian troops emitting the bulk of it.
There can be no military victory that will not spawn more suffering, more pollution, more injustices – and, therefore, more violence in the future.
Our call to action
As members of DiEM25, we believe in building a world where peace, dignity and environmental stewardship go hand in hand. On this Earth Day, let’s come together to demand peaceful solutions through diplomacy and conflict resolution, post-war reparations and restoration, environmental accountability, demilitarization of our societies, while promoting nonviolent conflict resolution as an essential step toward a more peaceful and greener world.
Join us in solidarity this Earth Day, April 22, as we stand against the devastating impact of war on our environment. War knows no boundaries, and its destructive reach extends far beyond human conflict zones. Together, let’s raise our voices to protect our planet from the ravages of war and advocate for a future of peace and sustainability.
Let’s make our voices heard! We can build a world where war and environmental destruction are relics of the past.
MERA25 condemns Germany’s authoritarian turn: German government caught lying about ban on Yanis Varoufakis
In the wake of the cancelled Palestine Congress last weekend, the German Ministry of the Interior has grossly overstepped its authority by imposing an undemocratic ban on the Greek economist, politician and MERA25 Greece political party leader, Yanis Varoufakis. Furthermore, the German government issued a series of contradictory statements on the ban to deter and intimidate him from speaking at the Palestine Congress.
MERA25 denounces the Interior Ministry’s efforts to sabotage the lawful and peaceful proceedings of Friday’s Palestine Congress and Saturday’s demonstration. MERA25 Germany was compelled to abruptly cancel a scheduled event in Hamburg where Yanis Varoufakis was set to appear as part of the party’s European election campaign. This move from German state authorities is part of a broader pattern of inconsistent and non-transparent actions that underscore a disturbing abuse of power at the heart of German politics.
- Saturday 13th of April: Berlin police, under directives from the Interior Ministry, inform the supervising lawyers of the demonstration against the cancellation of the Palestine Congress about a “ban on political activity” imposed on Yanis Varoufakis including a travel ban.
- Monday 15th of April: During a press conference, the spokesperson for the Interior Ministry refuses to comment on “individual cases” when questioned by journalists on Yanis Varoufakis’ travel ban. Separately, the federal German police sent an email denying any travel ban against Yanis Varoufakis.
- Tuesday 16th of April: The federal German police contradict their previous statement by confirming in an email that a travel ban was indeed imposed on Yanis Varoufakis from April 10 to April 14.
- After the Cancelation: Yanis Varoufakis learns about the bans only after the Palestine Congress is canceled, having not been informed by German authorities beforehand.
Word by word quotes from the federal German police correspondence with the legal representative of Yanis Varoufakis:
Monday 15th of April: “The Federal Police has not issued a travel and residence ban against your client within the meaning of § 11 AufenthG.”
Tuesday, 16th of April: “In the context of a possible participation as a speaker at the Palestine Congress 2024 in Berlin, your client was the subject of an alert for national refusal of entry pursuant to Section 30 (5) BPolG in conjunction with Section 6 (1) sentence 2 FreizügG/EU, limited to the period of the event from April 10 to 14, 2024.”
This series of events not only reflects a grave violation of the rights to freedom of movement and political expression, particularly concerning an EU citizen, but also illustrates a concerning trend of governmental opacity and authoritarian practices within Germany. The ministry’s actions are a flagrant violation of EU laws and norms, which guarantee fundamental rights and freedoms to its citizens.
We condemn this repression in the strongest terms and demand full accountability from the German Ministry of the Interior. These actions not only undermine the democratic foundations of the European Union but also unfairly disrupt MERA25’s campaign for the European elections. We call for an immediate and transparent investigation into this matter to ensure that such undemocratic overreaches do not occur in the future, and for all democratic citizens to not be deterred and join our fight for freedom of speech and justice for Palestine.
Yanis Varoufakis’ comments on the matter
“What happened to me is only the tip of the authoritarian iceberg. The real weight is being carried by our Jewish, Palestinian and German allies in Germany who are fighting daily and speaking out against the genocide in Gaza as well as Germany’s complicity in Israel’s crimes. They are being systematically repressed and persecuted for doing so. That is the true extent and the worrying effect of Germany’s slide away from freedom of speech and from a democracy in which all parties have an equal space to speak their mind and contest elections freely.”
Declaration of the Palestine Congress
The following statement is from the Palestine Congress
The Palestinians are suffering genocide.
Israel is destroying Gaza and its population. More than 40,000 Palestinians were killed by the Israeli military by the end of March. More children have died in Gaza since October 2023 than in all global conflicts from 2019 to 2022. Almost all Gaza residents have been displaced from their homes. More than one million people are suffering from severe hunger. Access to clean drinking water and medicine has been cut off. Infrastructure, hospitals, universities, schools, administrative buildings and apartment blocks have been bombed.
The murder of tens of thousands and the displacement of hundreds of thousands constitute genocide. The Israeli warfare is aimed at destroying the Palestinian nation and completing their expulsion from Palestine, which began with the Nakba in 1948, forcing them to flee to Egypt or other countries.
The German government is aiding and abetting genocide.
Germany is the second most important supplier of weapons for the genocide. Since October 2023, the Federal Security Council, consisting of Olaf Scholz, Wolfgang Schmidt, Annalena Baerbock, Boris Pistorius, Christian Lindner, Nancy Faeser, Marco Buschmann, Robert Habeck and Svenja Schulze, as well as its co-chairs Carsten Breuer, Dörte Dinger, Steffen Hebestreit and Günter Sautter, has increased arms deliveries to Israel tenfold.
Germany denies the genocide. Following the decision of the International Court of Justice, which found evidence of genocidal intent on the part of the Israeli state, it was Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck who declared that the accusation of genocide “lacks any basis”. The majority of private and public radio and television stations, as well as German newspapers, are participating in a disinformation campaign.
Germany supports the Israeli government’s genocidal starvation policy. While the famine was already spreading in Gaza in January 2024, the Minister for Development and Cooperation Svenja Schulze declared that Germany would stop providing humanitarian aid to the Palestinians through UNRWA. Western “emergency supplies” via an airlift and by sea ultimately act as humanitarian cover up for the war.
Freedom of assembly, freedom of organization, freedom of the press and freedom of science are being restricted in order to silence protests for a ceasefire. This is done through decrees issued by the interior ministers. It is also happening with the support of regional and local politicians, as well as the willing execution of German police officers and civil servants. The fact that many of these ordinances are “legal” shows just how much scope for repression and authoritarian practices has existed in Germany for decades. Today, laws are being debated in federal and state parliaments that will permanently and profoundly restrict fundamental democratic rights for everyone.
Never again for all
The genocide in Gaza therefore represents a turning point for German domestic and foreign affairs, similar to the Vietnam War. The government is shamelessly supporting a genocide in front of the world public. The noise of the bombings in Palestine is only surpassed by the trivialization, indeed the often droning silence about the war crimes. German politicians are attempting a cynical reinterpretation of history and justifying their support for genocide in the name of “never again”.
Those who justify the destruction and murder of the entire Palestinian civilization in Gaza with the killing of Israeli civilians on 7 October are burying any claim to humanity and democracy. The German government is trying to justify this genocide with the right to “self-defense”. At the same time, however, it denies the Palestinians, who have been experiencing disenfranchisement and expulsion for 76 years, any right whatsoever. Instead, they are defamed in a racist manner and protest is placed under the general suspicion of “imported anti-Semitism”. Behind this incitement and defamation lies a cold geo-strategic calculation, similar to the Vietnam War, especially on the part of German and US imperialism. In such calculations, not all human lives are equally. We oppose this dehumanization and the interests behind it.
Resistance is justified
We, the participants of the Palestine Congress, declare our opposition to this aggressive and criminal policy. We commit ourselves to do everything in our power to prevent the completion of the Palestinian genocide and thus another genocide with German complicity.
We declare that we will never forget the names of the German decision-makers responsible. Their guilt cannot be washed clean. Today we accuse them morally. But we will never rest until they have been brought to justice.
We know that a majority of the German population rejects the supply of weapons to Israel and the government’s warmongering. Despite lies, defamation and agitation, more and more people are becoming aware that the policies of the German government are leading to genocide and the displacement of millions of people. We turn to these people, our colleagues, neighbours, classmates: Let us rise up together to stop the genocide, so that the people of Gaza, the people of Palestine can live. Join us in breaking the silence and raising these demands. Join our movement against genocide and war.
Let us join forces with the Palestinians fighting for their freedom and with the international movement against genocide. Let us join millions of people who are taking to the streets around the world to put pressure on their governments. Let us join forces with the protests of workers in Catalonia, Italy, Belgium and India who have refused to load war equipment at airports and ports. Let us join forces with the activists who have organized blockades and occupations in England against the British and Israeli arms industry.
Our struggle for the living, for the liberation and self-determination of Palestine!
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Immediate ceasefire, immediate withdrawal of the Israeli army – complete investigation of all war crimes committed.
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Immediate lifting of all restrictions on humanitarian aid to Gaza and full funding of UNRWA.
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Immediate opening of all border crossings from Rafah to Allenby. Tear down the apartheid walls.
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Full reparations by Israel, Germany and other Israeli allies to the Palestinian people.
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Immediate cessation of all military, diplomatic and economic support for Israel by the German state as well as a comprehensive military embargo.
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Immediate withdrawal of the Bundeswehr, the US army and all NATO troops from the Red Sea and the Middle East! No to rearmament and special funds of the Bundeswehr for war!
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No to the use of the Zionist IHRA definition by any institution or state authority, no to the legitimization of genocide in school lessons. Stop the exmatriculation of students and dismissals of wage earners who show solidarity with Palestine!
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Stop the criminalization and repression of the Palestine solidarity movement in Germany. Immediately stop all criminalization of Palestinian organizations and individuals as well as all deportations. Open the borders and accept all refugees with full rights to housing, education and work.
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Enforcement of the right of return for Palestinian refugees and an end to over 76 years of Zionist settler colonialism and ethnic cleansing of the entire occupied Palestine.
We call for these demands to be introduced, discussed and supported in associations, party branches, trade unions, works councils, student and pupil representations, collectives and clubs.
Because the responsibility lies with us. To realize these goals, we call for a broad campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions against the Israeli state in Germany. We demand the disclosure of all business relations and contracts between German companies and Israel!
We call on trade unions, employees and the population to stop arms deliveries from Germany. We call on the trade unions to follow the call of their Palestinian sister organizations and to organize an internationally coordinated campaign against the killings. All justification and support for genocide in any form must be stopped through strikes, blockades, occupations or civil disobedience.
Take part in the nationwide week of action from April 15-22 on the occasion of Palestinian Prisoners’ Day. Today, the Israeli state is holding well over 10,000 Palestinian people, including many minors, hostage in violation of international law and the laws of war.
Mobilize and organize together with us large central demonstrations on 15 and 18 May in Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt am Main and other cities. We call on you to support the Europe-wide Nakba demonstration on May 19 in Brussels. On the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, the expulsion of the Palestinian people from their homes and villages, let us send a coordinated nationwide and international signal against genocide, expulsion and division.
We, Palestinian and Jewish, German and international voices know: Peace can only prevail on the basis of equality and justice, only if the oppression of the Palestinians is fully ended. We are fighting for an end to Zionist settler colonialism and its apartheid policies from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean, including the right of return for all Palestinian refugees.
You can sign the resolution here!
Yanis Varoufakis ban: Will the authoritarianism of the German government prevail?
The authoritarian measures of the German government brought back memories of a dark period in the country’s history. It leads us to ask: Will the ban of political activity for Yanis Varoufakis that the Berlin police announced with the backing of the German Ministry of the Interior prevail? Will Yanis Varoufakis be free to travel to Germany to campaign for MERA25 in the European election campaign starting today?
If not, this would be an unprecedented case of authoritarian election interference. We demand an immediate lift of the ban and an end to attacks on freedom of expression. In Germany and beyond, people have the right to condemn genocide and war crimes, regardless of who is perpetrating them and to stand with those who uphold human rights, freedom and equality among all people, including Palestinians.
If campaigning for equal rights for everyone is a position not allowed to be voiced in Germany, then democracy is dead. The police crackdown on the Palestine Congress, which DiEM25 co-organised with Jewish Voice for Peace and many others, has already proven to be one of the nails in the coffin of freedom of expression in Germany.
The decision to ban Yanis from all political activity in Germany is a farce. It shows the drastic lengths Germany will go to in order to silence anybody who speaks out against the oppression of the Palestinians by the Israeli government or criticises the bloody war of revenge that has been going on for months, as well as the complicity of the German government.
Whatever happens, rest assured that we will not be intimidated. We will continue our struggle for peace, dignity and freedom in Israel-Palestine, Germany, Greece and everywhere, whether it is in the European election campaign with MERA25 that is starting now or well beyond that.
Chronicle of Germany’s ban on Yanis Varoufakis
German authorities struggling to distance themselves from their farcical authoritarianism
On Friday, April 12, during our Palestine Congress in Berlin, the police invaded the venue, preventing Yanis Varoufakis and other participants from delivering their speeches. Varoufakis went ahead and posted his speech on social media.
On the following day, Saturday, April 13, during our demonstration against the illegal and illegitimate police action to interrupt and cancel our Congress, a police officer approached our organisers, in the presence of the supervising lawyers, to inform them that a ‘Betätigungsverbot’ had been issued against Yanis Varoufakis, Ghassan Abu-Sittah and Salman Abu Sitta – three of the keynote speakers due to appear at the Palestine Congress.
Asked what the precise meaning of the said Betätigungsverbot was, the same police officer answered: “Prohibition to enter Germany but also from participating in conferences via video-link or recorded messages.” The same police officer then added that if any speech is given by “any of these three persons”, physically or by electronic means, the police would forcefully dissolve the demonstration.
At that point, the lawyers present asked the police officer for information of which law the ban on Varoufakis and the other two speakers was based. The police officer replied that it was not a police decision, but a decision by the Federal Ministry of the Interior. When the lawyers asked to be given something in writing about this Betätigungsverbot, he refused. [Click here for a formal, legal account.]
A little later, newspaper TAZ reported the Betätigungsverbot, or ban, on Yanis Varoufakis, claiming to have received confirmation from the German authorities, as can be seen from the screenshot below.
However, a few hours later, after countless messages of outrage against the actions of the Interior Ministry and the German Police from within Germany and from all over the world, lawyers acting on behalf of Yanis Varoufakis were told by the Berlin police press department (Beate Ostertag) that the police has no knowledge of such a ban against Varoufakis and that they suspect that there was ‘miscommunication’ by the police officer at the demonstration.
At around the same time, TAZ changed its article deleting the confirmation of the Betätigungsverbot issue and replacing it with an ambiguous mention of an alleged ban.
More news on Sunday: In response to an enquiry by ntv.de to the Federal Ministry of the Interior as to whether a ban on political activity had been issued against Varoufakis and how it had been derived in the case of an EU citizen, the reply received contains neither a confirmation nor a denial on the matter. And with reference to security circles, according to Stern and Handelsblatt, it is supposed to be an entry ban.
What is clear is that, following the outcry, German authorities decided they had dug themselves into a deep hole of farcical authoritarianism. And that it was time to whistle in the wind.
Yanis Varoufakis and MERA25 Deutschland wish to thank the thousands of lawyers, parliamentarians, activists, journalists and citizens who wrote messages in support and whose vocal opposition to the German authorities forced them on the defensive.
The struggle for peace in Israel-Palestine and for democracy in the West is only beginning. Let us redouble our efforts.
What the German government had (not) to say
Germany bans Yanis Varoufakis from entering the country
The German Ministry of the Interior has issued a ban against DiEM25 co-founder Yanis Varoufakis after the police shut down the Palestine Congress that was set to take place in Berlin from April 12 to 14.
This entails not only a ban on entry into Germany, but even a ban on any form of online participation and activity at political events in the country, with the German government going beyond the bounds of authoritarianism.
Yanis’ Palestine Congress speech the ‘reason’ for the ban
The ban comes after Varoufakis was scheduled to give a speech at the Palestine Congress in Berlin on Friday, ultimately calling for universal human rights in both Israel and Palestine, only for the German police to burst into the venue to disband the event
Due to this, Varoufakis published his speech in full on X, to which the German government decided to crack down on the MERA25 founder in a truly shocking manner.
Yanis Varoufakis BANNED by Germany’s Interior Ministry from carrying out any political activity in Germany.
They’re so desperate to silence anyone who dares speak out against Germany’s complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
But DiEM25 and @mera25_de will never be silenced! pic.twitter.com/vr6b1OGPqX
— DiEM25 (@DiEM_25) April 13, 2024
The other two people for whom a similar ban has been issued are the academic Salman Abu Sitta, and the surgeon and rector of the University of Glasgow, Ghassan Abu Sittah, who was arrested and subjected to a three-hour interrogation at Berlin airport.
The pair were also due to participate in the Palestine Congress organised by Jewish Voice for Peace and MERA25 Germany, with the demand for a ceasefire and an end to the genocide in Gaza at the heart of the gathering.
The absence of true democracy in Europe is becoming more and more evident as the weeks unfold, particularly since Israel’s latest siege on Gaza.
Germany, in theory, should know better than any nation the potential dangers that this kind of attitude entails. It is time for democratic citizens to take a stand against a Europe that is sinking back into darkness.
Germany did not just stop the Rector of the University of Glasgow Dr @GhassanAbuSitt1 from entering Germany, to participate in our Palestine Congress, but threatened him with legal action if he dared send his intended speech by video. Question to German friends: In your name? pic.twitter.com/d0Xk02ppVq
— Yanis Varoufakis (@yanisvaroufakis) April 13, 2024
What is the Palestine Congress?
The conference was a joint initiative between the Berlin-based organisation Jüdische Stimme für Gerechten Frieden in Nahost (Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East) and DiEM25, and the necessary funding had been successfully secured through donations to ensure that the Palestine Congress could move forward. Karin de Rigo, MERA25’s top candidate for the European Elections in Germany, was set to moderate a panel discussion with Varoufakis and deliver the closing intervention.
“We stand in solidarity with all those seeking justice and are committed to the principles of democracy and human rights. This Congress represents a significant moment for those of us advocating for Palestinian rights, offering a platform for solidarity against repression and a pathway to engage the German government on issues of accountability. Joining forces with other organisations at the Palestine Congress, we aim to contribute to the global dialogue on justice for Palestine. We’re committed to calling out and confronting Germany’s involvement in the atrocities against Palestinians in Gaza.”
Yanis Varoufakis’ Palestine Congress speech that was banned by German police
Yanis Varoufakis was due to give a speech at the Palestine Congress in Berlin on Friday, when German police burst into the venue to disband the event 1930s style. Judge for yourselves the kind of society Germany is becoming when its police bans the following words:
Yanis Varoufakis’ banned Palestine Congress speech
Friends,
Congratulations, and heartfelt thanks, for being here, despite the threats, despite the ironclad police outside this venue, despite the panoply of the German press, despite the German state, despite the German political system that demonises you for being here.
“Why a Palestinian Congress, Mr Varoufakis?”, a German journalist asked me recently? Because, as Hanan Asrawi once said: “We cannot rely on the silenced to tell us about their suffering.”
Today, Asrawi’s reason has grown depressingly stronger: Because we cannot rely on the silenced who are also massacred and starved to tell us about the massacres and the starvation.
But there is another reason too: Because a proud, a decent people, the people of Germany, are led down a perilous road to a heartless society by being made to associate themselves with another genocide carried out in their name, with their complicity.
I am neither Jewish nor Palestinian. But I am incredibly proud to be here amongst Jews and Palestinians – to blend my voice for Peace and Universal Human Rights with Jewish Voices for Peace and Universal Human Rights – with Palestinian Voices for Peace and Universal Human Rights. Being together, here, today, is proof that Coexistence is Not Only Possible – but that it is here! Already.
“Why not a Jewish Congress, Mr Varoufakis?”, the same German journalist asked me, imagining that he was being smart. I welcomed his question.
For if a single Jew is threatened, anywhere, just because she or he is Jewish, I shall wear the star of David on my lapel and offer my solidarity – whatever the cost, whatever it takes.
So, let’s be clear: If Jews were under attack, anywhere in the world, I would be the first to canvass for a Jewish Congress in which to register our solidarity.
Similarly, when Palestinians are massacred because they are Palestinians – under a dogma that to be dead they must have been Hamas – I shall wear my keffiyeh and offer my solidarity whatever the cost, whatever it takes.
Universal Human Rights are either universal or they mean nothing.
With this in mind, I answered the German journalist’s question with a few of my own:
- Are 2 million Israeli Jews, who were thrown out of their homes and into an open air prison 80 years ago, still being kept in that open air prison, without access to the outside world, with minimal food and water, no chance of a normal life, of travelling anywhere, and bombed periodically for 80 years? No.
- Are Israeli Jews being starved intentionally by an army of occupation, their children writhing on the floor, screaming from hunger? No.
- Are there thousands of Jewish injured children no surviving parents crawling through the rubble of what used to be their homes? No.
- Are Israeli Jews being bombed by the world’s most sophisticated planes and bombs today? No.
- Are Israeli Jews experiencing complete ecocide of what little land they can still call their own, not one tree left under which to seek shade or whose fruit to taste? No.
- Are Israeli Jewish children killed by snipers today at the orders of a member-state of the UN? No.
- Are Israeli Jews driven out of their homes by armed gangs today? No.
- Is Israel fighting for its existence today? No.
If the answer to any of these questions was yes, I would be participating in a Jewish Solidarity Congress today.
Friends,
Today, we would have loved to have a decent, democratic, mutually-respectful debate on how to bring Peace and Universal Human Rights for everyone, Jews and Palestinians, Bedouins and Christians, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea with people who think differently to us.
Sadly, the whole of the German political system has decided not to allow this. In a joint statement including not just the CDU-CSU or the FDP but also the SPD, the Greens and, remarkably, two leaders of Die Linke, joined forces to ensure that such a civilised debate, in which we may disagree agreeably, never takes place in Germany.
I say to them: You want to silence us. To ban us. To demonise us. To accuse us. You, therefore, leave us with no choice but to meet your accusations with our accusations. You chose this. Not us.
- You accuse us of anti-Semitic hatred
We accuse you of being the antisemite’s best friend by equating the right of Israel to commit war crimes with the right of Israeli Jews to defend themselves.
- You accuse us of supporting terrorism
We accuse you of equating legitimate resistance to an Apartheid State with atrocities against civilians which I have always and will always condemn, whomever commits them – Palestinians, Jewish Settlers, my own family, whomever.
We accuse you of not recognising the duty of the people of Gaza to tear down the Wall of the open prison they have been encased in for 80 years – and of equating this act of tearing down the Wall of Shame – which is no more defensible than the Berlin Wall was – with acts of terror.
- You accuse us of trivialising Hamas’ October 7th terror
We accuse you of trivialising the 80 years of Israel’s ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and the erection of an ironclad Apartheid system across Israel-Palestine.
We accuse you of trivialising Netanyahu’s long-term support of Hamas as a means of destroying the 2-State Solution that you claim to favour.
We accuse you of trivialising the unprecedented terror unleashed by the Israeli army on the people of Gaza, W. Bank and E. Jerusalem.
- You accuse the organisers of today’s Congress that we are, and I quote, “not interested in talking about possibilities for peaceful coexistence in the Middle East against the background of the war in Gaza”. Are you serious? Have you lost your mind?
We accuse you of supporting a German state that is, after the United States, the largest supplier of the weapons that the Netanyahu government uses to massacre Palestinians as part of a Grand Plan to make a 2-State solution, and peaceful coexistence between Jews and Palestinians, impossible.
We accuse you of never answering the pertinent question that every German must answer: How much Palestinian blood must flow before your, justified, guilt over the Holocaust is washed away?
So, let’ s be clear: We are here, in Berlin, with our Palestinian Congress because, unlike the German political system and the German media, we condemn genocide and war crimes regardless of who is perpetrating them. Because we oppose Apartheid in the land of Israel-Palestine no matter who has the upper hand – just as we opposed Apartheid in the American South or in South Africa. Because we stand for universal human rights, freedom and equality among Jews, Palestinians, Bedouins and Christians in the Ancient Land of Palestine.
And so that we are even clearer on the questions, legitimate and malignant, that we must always be ready to answer:
Do I condemn Hamas’ atrocities?
I condemn every single atrocity, whomever is the perpetrator or the victim. What I do notcondemn is armed resistance to an Apartheid system designed as part of a slow-burning, but inexorable, ethnic cleansing program. Put differently, I condemn every attack on civilians while, at the same time, I celebrate anyone who risks their life to TEAR DOWN THE WALL.
Is Israel not engaged in a war for its very existence?
No, it is not. Israel is a nuclear-armed state with perhaps the most technologically advanced army in the world and the panoply of the US military machine having its back. There is no symmetry with Hamas, a group which can cause serious damage to Israelis but which has no capacity whatsoever to defeat Israel’s military, or even to prevent Israel from continuing to implement the slow genocide of Palestinians under the system of Apartheid that has been erected with long-standing US and EU support.
Are Israelis not justified to fear that Hamas wants to exterminate them?
Of course they are! Jews have suffered a Holocaust that was preceded with pogroms and a deep-seated antisemitism permeating Europe and the Americas for centuries. It is only natural that Israelis live in fear of a new pogrom if the Israeli army folds. However, by imposing Apartheid on their neighbours, by treating them like sub-humans, the Israeli state is stoking the fires of antisemitism, is strengthening Palestinians and Israelis who just want to annihilate each other and, in the end, contributes to the awful insecurity consuming Jews in Israel and the Diaspora. Apartheid against the Palestinians is the Israelis’ worst self-defence.
What about antisemitism?
It is always a clear and present danger. And it must be eradicated, especially amongst the ranks of the Global Left and the Palestinians fighting for Palestinian civil liberties –around the world.
Why don’t Palestinians pursue their objectives by peaceful means?
They did. The PLO recognised Israel and renounced armed struggle. And what did they get for it? Absolute humiliation and systematic ethnic cleansing. That is what nurtured Hamas and elevated it the eyes of many Palestinians as the only alternative to a slow genocide under Israel’s Apartheid.
What should be done now? What might bring Peace to Israel-Palestine?
- An immediate ceasefire.
- The release of all hostages: Hamas’ and the thousands held by Israel.
- A Peace Process, under the UN, supported by a commitment by the International Community to end Apartheid and to safeguard Equal Civil Liberties for All.
- As for what must replace Apartheid, it is up to Israelis and Palestinians to decide between the 2-state solution and the solution of a Single Federal Secular State.
Friends,
We are here because vengeance is a lazy form of grief.
We are here to promote not vengeance but Peace and Coexistence across Israel-Palestine.
We are here to tell German democrats, including our former comrades of Die Linke, that they have covered themselves in shame long enough – that two wrongs do not one right make – that allowing Israel to get away with war crimes is not going to ameliorate the legacy of Germany’s crimes against the Jewish People.
Beyond today’s Congress, we have a duty, in Germany, to change the conversation. We have a duty to persuade the vast majority of decent Germans out there that universal human rights is what matters. That Never Again means Never Again. For anyone, Jew, Palestinian, Ukrainian, Russian, Yemeni, Sudanese, Rwandan – for everyone, everywhere.
In this context, I am pleased to announce that DiEM25’s German political party MERA25 will be on the ballot paper in the European Parliament election this coming June – seeking the vote of German humanists who crave a Member of European Parliament representing Germany and calling out the EU’s complicity in genocide – a complicity that is Europe’s greatest gift to the antisemites in Europe and beyond.
I salute you all and suggest we never forget that none of us are free if one of us is in chains.