Political Backlash After Pro-Palestine Comments at Berlin Awards Ceremony

Onstage comments at this year’s Berlinale awards ceremony, which saw filmmakers call out the German and Israeli governments for the “genocide in Gaza,” have drawn a political backlash in Germany.

Syrian-Palestinian director Abdallah Al-Khatib, winner of the Berlinale Perspectives section for his drama Chronicles of a Siege, said the current German government were “partners in the genocide in Gaza by Israel” and noted that “the long awaited day is coming, and when people ask you what happened, tell them: Palestine remembers. We will remember everyone who stood with us, and we will remember everyone who stood against us, against our right to live with dignity, or who choose silence or choose to be silent.”

The comments prompted German environment minister Carsten Schneider to leave the gala in protest. In a statement, a spokesperson of the minister said Schneider “considers these statements unacceptable and therefore left the event during the speech.