"Palestinian lives matter. Power to the Resistance of Palestine. Cease fire now!"

On the 28th of October 2023 we united at Oranienplatz to protest against the genocide in Palestine and to demand boundless solidarity.  By shouting “Ceasefire Now!” we demand an end of the violence of colonial continuities. Captain held a speech on behalf of IW*S at the “Global South United” protest:

Two days ago, the ministry of health in Gaza released the list of over 7000 Palestinians killed. It includes nearly 3000 children! Each name listed with their government ID number to rubbish accusations of fake numbers. A response to Genocide Joe of the USA and those like him who choose to erase the existence of Palestinians both dead and alive.

Germany and the other financiers, enablers and cheerleaders of the Genocide should be haunted both by the magnitude of the statistics and by the individuals that make up the numbers. 

As one twitter user put it, to be haunted:

By the baby YouTuber who wanted 100k subs. 

By the 10-year-old who said she can’t fight she is only 10. 

By that child shaking in a hospital breaking down when the doctor embraced him. 

By the kid who wanted to be an engineer to rebuild his city so tourists will visit.

By the medical staff who refused to abandon their people. 

By the doctors and nurses who found their loved ones in the morgues. 

By nine-year-old Yousuf who was fair and beautiful. 

By the little boy who carried his baby sister in his arms.

By the little girl who embraced her younger siblings when the adults in her home were killed. 

By the toddler who lost her entire family before she even learnt to speak and might never found out what her mom and dad named her.

By Wael Al Dahdouh who lost his entire family and lead their funeral prayer and immediately went back to speaking the truth of his people. 

By the young men who dug out children from the rubble with their bare hands and then embraced them.

By the artist who returned Palestinian children their childhoods for a few moments, mere hours before the hospital they were sheltering in was bombed. 

By the father who carried the limbs of his children in plastic bags.

By the old woman who chose to stay in her house and accept death instead of surrendering her place in this world. 

By the doctors and nurses who sang with their patients. 

By the family whose 88 members were killed in this destruction.

Haunted by humans, not mere statistics.

We are not all from Palestine, but most of us from the Global South know what it is like to have our history re-told and our dehumanization justified by the imperialist regimes that seek to erase our culture, expression and our humanity.

We connect with struggles for freedom and self-determination. We believe the fight for emancipation of Palestinians and marginalized people everywhere is historical and justified. 

For the last two years, NATO has used all the resources in its power; millions of Euros and weaponry to guard the sovereignty of Ukraine. Sadly, the occupation and massacre of Palestinians raises no protest. 

The world watches as Israel carries out a genocide and cuts off the access of millions of Palestinians in Gaza to the most basic of human needs: water, food, medication and shelter.

When Palestinians defend themselves, somehow, they are the oppressors, aggravators and the enemy. We are being conditioned to vilify Palestinians while they are starved and killed for simply existing on their land.

Look at Israel, its occupation, detention and segregation camps, carpet bombing, targeting residential units, hospitals, churches, the families of journalists they would like to silence, use of white phosporous-laced projectiles and you will know who the oppressors are. How can the world see Israel’s ongoing attempt at wiping out an entire population as justified? 

As a country whose history is defined by one of the world’s darkest eras of systematic, state-sponsored persecution and genocides, Germany should call Israel out. Instead, this country is a supporter of the murderous and racist apartheid regime.

This country’s genocidal past disables Palestinian determination in the liberation fight. Today, to Germany we say: ‘Deal with your guilt. Stop projecting your shame on Palestinians’. One Holocaust does not justify another. Criticising Israel is not antisemitism. Enough of the mischaracterisation and weaponization of the movement for freedom for Palestine. 

If you are sick, burnt out and traumatized hearing about the genocide in Palestine, imagine how those experiencing it feel. Germany must stop feeding the genocidal and parasitic Israeli regime.  

We demand the liberation of Palestine. Palestine should and must be sovereign.

Palestinians have a right to exist, right to be free, right to self-rule and self-determination.

Palestinian lives matter. Power to the Resistance of Palestine. 

Cease fire now!