Israeli statements spark controversy at Berlinale
February 26, 2024
The Berlin International Film Festival prides itself on its political reputation, but allowing filmmakers to state their personal positions on the war between Israel and Hamas at Saturday’s closing awards ceremony has now sparked controversy among German politicians. and the Israeli authorities.
At the event, several filmmakers criticized Israel for its ongoing offensive in Gaza, which has killed nearly 30,000 people, most of them women and children, according to the enclave’s Hamas-controlled health authority.
Although different people have called for a ceasefire in Gaza, perhaps the speech that drew the strongest criticism from several German politicians came from American filmmaker Ben Russell, who received his award wearing the keffiyeh, a symbol of Palestinian solidarity. .
“Of course we also defend life here and stand against genocide and for a ceasefire in solidarity with all our comrades,” said Russell, supported by applause from the audience.
The filmmakers were also criticized for not addressing Hamas’ role in the conflict and the October 7 terrorist attacks, in which around 1,200 Israelis were killed and more than 240 people – including women and children – were taken hostage by the militant group. Islamic. . Hamas is classified as a terrorist group by Israel, Germany, the USA, the European Union and several other countries.
Israeli-Palestinian film about occupation in the West Bank wins best documentary award
Israeli filmmaker Yuval Abraham, based in Jerusalem, and his Palestinian colleague Basel Adra also made statements that gained prominence amid the controversy. On Saturday, on behalf of their Israeli-Palestinian collective, they received the 2024 Berlinale Documentary Prize for the film “No Other Land”.
“No Other Land” documents how residents of the occupied West Bank village of Adra, Masafer Yatta, have fought for years against the destruction of their homes by Israeli soldiers and armed Jewish settlers.
Upon receiving the award, Adra said it was difficult for him to celebrate while his compatriots in Gaza were “massacre and slaughtered” and called on Germany “to respect the calls of the UN and stop sending weapons to Israel.”
Israeli journalist Abraham pointed out that although both were on equal footing on stage, they would return within two days to a country where their Palestinian colleague would face institutionalized discrimination, without any right to vote and with restricted movements based on his Palestinian registration. . Abraham then called for an end to “this apartheid, this inequality”.
Abraham said on social media platform X that an Israeli channel broadcast a 30-second segment of the speech and called him “anti-Semitic,” and that he has since received death threats.
German politicians criticize statements as ‘anti-Semitic’
The filmmakers’ statements were later condemned by Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner.
“What happened yesterday at the Berlinale was an unacceptable relativization. There is no place for anti-Semitism in Berlin, and this also applies to the arts,” he wrote in X.
Ron Prosor, Israel’s ambassador to Germany, strongly criticized “the so-called ‘cultural elite'”.
“Once again, the German cultural scene shows its prejudice by rolling out the red carpet exclusively for artists who promote the delegitimization of Israel,” he wrote in X, adding that “the anti-Semitic and anti-Israel speech was met with applause ”.
Source: DW
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