1. On Saturday night, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin was lit up with the Israeli flag. Careful observers noticed orange blotches on the column — these were leftovers from a climate protest several weeks ago. The Israeli flag appeared to have blood stains. The symbolism was perfect: While the German establishment project declares its unwavering support for the Israeli government, it can’t quite hide the fact that colonialism and apartheid are inherently bloody affairs.
On Saturday, five parties in the Bundestag — CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP, and Greens — published a joint statement declaring their support for the State of Israel and its “right to self-defense.” The far-right AfD, for its part, made an almost identical declaration. Even the reformist left party DIE LINKE, represented by chairperson Janine Wissler, issued a one-sided condemnation of “terrorism.” [Just a few years ago, Wissler was part of a post-Trotskyist organization that defended the basic rights of Palestinians.]
2. New York City Hospitals Express “Concern” and “Horror” — Without Mentioning Palestinians. New York City hospitals sent out emails to the communities — without even mentioning Palestine. This comes as Israel’s bombing campaign has killed thousands and targeted healthcare workers and healthcare facilities.
3. Hundreds of thousands around the world are demonstrating in solidarity with the people in Gaza. Tens of thousands across the UK called for a free Palestine. Except in Berlin. The government has banned all expressions of solidarity.
4. The United Nations are saying that Israel’s siege of Gaza is a "a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.” In Berlin right now, it is not possible to express UN positions on the street.
By cutting off water and electricity to the more than two million people of Gaza, the Israeli army is committing a war crime. Just listen to Ursula von der Leyen, the conservative German politician who heads the EU: “Attacks against civilian infrastructure, especially electricity, are war crimes. Cutting off men, women, children of water, electricity and heating with winter coming – these are acts of pure terror. And we have to call it as such.”
However von der Leyen was accusing Russia of war crimes, not Israel. Attacking civilian infrastructure is apparently no longer ‘terror’, but in fact covered by the ‘right to self-defense’.
5. Echoes of the War on Terror: U.S. State and Media Go on the Offensive Against Pro-Palestinian Protesters. The U.S. government, mainstream media, and several Zionist organizations are waging an strong attack on the basic democratic right of people to support Palestine. The movement must support one another against these attacks, and everyone must defend the right to free speech.
6. France Threatens to Dissolve Pro-Palestine Organizations. While Israel has implemented a blockade on Gaza and is preparing for a ground offensive, the French government is taking steps to criminalize support for the Palestinian cause.
7. The Palestinian Authority is using live fire to disperse thousands of protesters who have come out to the streets in the occupied West Bank. The protests have been held over Israel’s air strikes on al-Ahli al-Arab Hospital in Gaza. The air strikes killed at least 500 Palestinians and left hundreds of others wounded. Protesters gathered in Ramallah’s al-Manara public square to denounce the Israeli attack on the hospital.
8. Zelensky’s support of the Israeli state.
9. UK’s Labour Party leader Keir Starmer defends the state of Israel.
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