The Irish-Jewish organisation Jews for Palestine, staged a protest outside the German embassy to Ireland in Booterstown Co Dublin on Tuesday afternoon at 3.30 pm. At the protest several participants locked themselves onto the gates of the German embassy, demanding Germany stops supporting Israeli genocide in Gaza.
The demonstration comes after numerous scholars and human rights actors have accused Israel of committing genocide. There has been genocidal rhetoric from Israeli leaders such as Defence Minister Yoav Gallant who said that “we are fighting human animals and we act accordingly” and that “Gaza won’t return to what it was before. We will eliminate everything.”
This rhetoric has been matched by action. Israel has displaced over a million people, and cut off access to food, water, and electricity for more than two million people. They have bombed hospitals, refugee camps, schools, holy sites, and universities. In the past month they have killed more than 11,000 people, nearly half of them children.
Jews for Palestine is an all-Ireland group of Jewish people formed in solidarity with Palestine. At the demonstration they held banners saying ‘Jews Against Genocide’ and ‘Deutschland, Nicht Schon Wieder Genozid!?‘ or ‘Germany, Not Genocide Again!’. Several members locked themselves to the gates of the German embassy in solidarity with Germans who have been arrested for protesting Israel’s actions. They also placed teddy bears outside the embassy gates to symbolise the 5000 children killed by Israel.
Sue Pental of Jews for Palestine said of the Israeli attack. ‘This is genocide. And it is a genocide in which Germany is complicit. Germany is the leading voice in Europe offering Israel its absolute support in attacking Gaza. It has also helped arm this attack – Germany has increased its arms exports to Israel ten-fold from last year.’
The group issued a notification to the German ambassador about Germany’s complicity in genocide. As a signatory to the Genocide Convention, Germany has obligations to prevent the perpetration of genocide. But there is a credible case that their actions constitute active complicity. If Germany fails to change course, they may be answerable to the International Criminal Court
Woolf of Jews for Palestine said ‘We are also protesting Germany’s persecution of its own citizens, including numerous Jews, when they protest the war in Gaza. As Jews, we deplore this cynical crackdown on free speech by weaponizing the trauma you have inflicted on us.’
The protestors are at the embassy to meet with the German ambassador and demand that Germany supports a rights-based approach to the Israeli attack on Gaza. Such an approach entails:
- Calling for a ceasefire.
- Stop arming Israeli genocide.
- Stop arresting those who oppose genocide.
Featured image via Jews for Palestine
