Freedom Road Socialist Organization joins with people around the globe in condemning the German authorities for trampling on the rights of those who fight for the liberation of Palestine. On June 22, the German government banned prominent Palestinian writer Khaled Barakat from speaking at an event against Trump’s “deal of the century.” This outrageous act comes on the heels of the German government’s preventing a speech by the Palestinian leader Rasmea Odeh, and her subsequent deportation.
The Israeli occupation of Palestine is being challenged by the growing struggle of the Palestinian people, and a rising tide of anger across the Middle East. The brutality and callous cruelty of the occupation has led to a turn in public opinion internationally and the growing isolation of the Israel. So, the Western governments that back Israel have a problem. It is hard to defend an entity that uses snipers to maim and kill protesters. Or that brutalizes kids. Or that carries out sexual assaults against women as a matter of policy. Fair-minded people reject these kinds of things, so the governments of Europe and the U.S. have adopted a “kill the messenger” approach.
What we see in the U.S. and Europe is an attempt to criminalize those working to free Palestine. Organizations that fight for freedom, such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), are wrongly labeled as “terrorist.” There are attempts to put legal restrictions on those who advocate boycotts, sanctions, and divestment from Israel.
We in Freedom Road have some direct experience with this repression, having faced FBI raids and attacks from a grand jury, in part because of our support for Palestine. We continue to support the battle for Palestinian liberation, and we are proud to stand in solidarity with anyone who is being hit with repression and for those who are making contributions to this just cause.
No amount of repression in the U.S. or Europe will change the fact that the Israeli occupation will certainly come to an end. From the river to the sea, every inch of Palestine will be liberated.
Stand with those who stand for a free Palestine!
