This page documents the rally that took place on Washingtonplatz in Berlin on 18 October 2024 – here you’ll find the call, the programme and the recordings.

for a just peace

in Palestine and Israel

Protect civilians, stop arms exports!

Rally on 18 October 2024 at 5pm on Washingtonplatz

We are witnessing a devastating escalation of violence and suffering in Palestine and Israel. More than 42,000 people in Palestine and more than 1,200 people in Israel have been killed in the current war since 7 October 2023. About 100 hostages are still in Gaza. At least 95,000 Palestinians have been wounded, and countless more are missing. Almost the entire population of Gaza, 1.9 of the 2.1 million inhabitants, have been displaced within their country multiple times. About 100,000 Israelis have been evacuated since last October.

There is no safe place in the entire Gaza Strip. Israel’s deliberate withholding of humanitarian aid, food, clean drinking water and medical care is acutely endangering the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza. And in the West Bank, people are more exposed than ever to the violence of the army and the settlers.

We will not and cannot remain silent about all this. We condemn all war crimes in this war, both those of Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups and those of the Israeli government. We mourn all victims of violence in Palestine and Israel. We fear for the thousands who are arbitrarily detained in Israel and often subjected to torture and ill-treatment. We fear for those who were abducted to Gaza as hostages. We express our solidarity with all those who work for peace and equal rights for all people in the region.

While the German government rightly condemns the war crimes of Hamas, it does not even name the war crimes of the Israeli government and army as such. What’s more, through its political actions, it condones Israel’s actions in Gaza that are contrary to international law. The German government is undermining the international judiciary by taking sides.

In Germany, we are experiencing massive infringements on the freedom of expression and assembly in the context of solidarity with Palestine. We are firmly opposed to the criminalization of legitimate protest and are taking our criticism of the war in Gaza and of the role of the German government to the streets.

We are taking to the streets to declare: A “Staatsräson” that applies double standards to human rights and international law is of no use to anyone and, despite repeated political declarations, does not contribute to Israel’s security either. Human rights and international law are universal. Human lives must not be measured with double standards: Palestinian life is just as precious as Israeli life.

We demand from the German government:

• Do everything in your power to bring about an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire. Only a ceasefire can create the conditions for an end to the killing and for the release of hostages and unlawfully detained persons.
• Do not supply Israel with any military equipment if there is a risk that it will be used in violation of international law.
• Support the international judiciary without restriction in order to end decades of impunity.
• In line with the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of 19 July 2024, do everything in your power to end the illegal occupation, the construction of settlements in violation of international law and the expulsion of the Palestinian population in the West Bank!
• Protect freedom of expression and assembly in Germany: Protection against discrimination, racism and antisemitism must not be played off against the right to peaceful protest.

With this event, we want to create a space for peaceful protest that is free from discrimination and violence. We will not accept any racist, anti-Palestinian and/or antisemitic statements or actions.

Organizations behind the call:

Amnesty International Deutschland • Arbeitskreis Palästina Brühl-Battir • Ärzte der Welt • Bielefelder Nahost-Initiative • Bundesweite Arbeitsgruppe Globalisierung und Krieg • Bündnis für Gerechtigkeit zwischen Israelis und Palästinensern (BIP) • CARE Deutschland • ChanceMaker Foundation • Deutsch-Palästinensische Gesellschaft • Deutsch-Palästinensischer Frauenverein • Deutsche Friedensgesellschaft – Vereinigte KriegsdienstgegnerInnen • Deutsche Sektion der Internationalen Frauenliga für Frieden und Freiheit (WILPF) • Föderation Demokratischer Arbeitervereine Berlin • Forum InformatikerInnen für Frieden und gesellschaftliche Verantwortung • Forum Ziviler Friedensdienst • Frauen wagen Frieden • Freunde von Sabeel Deutschland • Humanistische Union • IALANA Deutschland – Vereinigung für Friedensrecht • Informationsbüro Nicaragua • INNA (Städtepartnerschaft Nablus/Nürnberg) • Internationale der Kriegsdienstgegner*innen • Internationale Liga für Menschenrechte • Internationaler Versöhnungsbund, Deutscher Zweig • Interventionistische Linke Berlin • IPPNW Deutschland • Israelis für Frieden • Israelisches Komitee gegen Hauszerstörungen (ICAHD) • Jugendliche ohne Grenzen • Kairos Palästina Solidaritätsnetz Deutschland • Komitee für Grundrechte und Demokratie • Kulturkosmos Müritz (Fusion-Festival) • KURVE Wustrow – Bildungs- und Begegnungsstätte • medico international • Lebenshaus Schwäbische Alb – Gemeinschaft für soziale Gerechtigkeit, Frieden und Ökologie • Netzwerk Friedenskooperative • Netzwerk Ökumenisches Begleitprogramm in Palästina und Israel in Deutschland • NRC Flüchtlingshilfe Deutschland • Palästina Initiative Region Hannover • Partnerschaftsverein Bonn-Ramallah • pax christi, Deutsche Sektion • Sea-Watch • Solidarität International • Terre des Hommes Deutschland • ver.di Berliner Krankenhausbewegung • Weltfriedensdienst • Whistleblower-Netzwerk • Wuppertaler Friedensforum

Speakers:

• Sanaz Azimipour, activist, author, speaker
• Dr. Julia Duchrow, Director, Amnesty International Germany
• Deborah Feldman, author
• Dr. Alma Itzhaky, artist and researcher, Israelis for Peace
• Jules El-Khatib, author
• Nazih Musharbash, President, German-Palestinian Society
• Yuli Novak, Director, B’Tselem (audio)
• Anja Osterhaus, Managing Director, Reporters Without Borders
• Riad Othman, Middle East coordinator, medico international
• Aida Touma-Suleiman, Member of Knesset, Chadash (audio)
• Naz Al-Windi, political scientist and activist
• Dr. Bassam Zaqout, physician, Palestinian Medical Relief Society (audio)

Musicians:

• Malonda: Deutschungshoheit
• Lili Sommerfeld: The Day You Wake Up

We are grateful that the rally was live-streamed and recorded by the media initiative Freundeskreis Videoclips (YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok). Here you’ll find both the entire livestream (in lower quality) and recordings of the individual contributions (in higher quality), as well as, if available, the manuscript.