
Germany Moves to Deport Four Pro-Palestine Activists
Rabat – Berlin's immigration authorities have ordered four young foreign residents to leave Germany over accusation 'antisemitism' and 'support for terrorism' to due their participation in peaceful protests condemning Israel's genocide in Gaza.
The deportation orders are set to take effect in less than one month despite the four individuals – three EU citizens and an American – not having been convicted of any crime. The activists, who must leave Germany by April 21, issued a joint statement accusing the German officials of weaponizing immigration law in order to silence pro-Palestinian voices.
The unprecedented move has sparked concerns over freedom of speech and civil liberties in Germany, with many comparing it to the Trump administration's crackdown on pro-Palestine activism in the US.
Alexander Gorski, a lawyer representing two out of the quartet, warned that Germany is witnessing a state of political descent into far-right policies.
'What we're seeing here is straight out of the far right's playbook […] You can see it in the U.S. and Germany, too: Political dissent is silenced by targeting the migration status of protesters,' said Gorski.
The lawyer noted that this isn't the first where German authorities using migration law as a 'tool of repression against social movements' stating that he has encountered more than a dozen cases of Palestinian and other Arab nationals whose refugee status or residency were revoked because of their participation in pro-Palestinian rallies or even over social media posts condemning Israel's actions in Gaza since October 2023.
Under German migration law, authorities can issue deportation orders without the presence of a criminal record if the cited reason is severe enough to warrant such a punishment.
'The key question is: How severe is the threat and how proportionate the response?' said Thomas Oberhäuser, a lawyer and chair of the executive committee on migration law at the German Bar Association. 'If someone is being expelled simply for their political beliefs, that's a massive overreach.'
German officials have repeatedly justified their crackdown on pro-Palestine voices as a measure to combat anti-semitism and protect the country's Jewish population, thus atoning for its Holocaust. However, many argue that Germany has failed to break from its Nazi past, pointing to its treatment of anti-Zionist Jews who have spoken up in support of Palestine.
In October 2023, German authorities arrested Iris Hefets, a German-Israeli psychoanalyst in Berlin, on charges of anti-Semitism, for merely walking alone with a placard reading 'As an Israeli and as a Jew, stop the genocide in Gaza.'
That same month, more than a hundred German-Jewish artists, writers, academics, journalists and cultural workers published an open letter condemning Germany's repression of pro-Palestinian speech and widespread accusations of anti-Semitism directed at everyone who criticizes Israel's actions. Tags: Berlin Germanyfree palestineGaza protests
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Morocco World
21 hours ago
- Morocco World
UK, France Backtrack on Recognizing Palestine
Rabat – The UK and France have abandoned earlier plans to recognize a Palestinian state at an upcoming international conference in New York, scheduled for June 17–20. The two countries had previously hinted at using the event as a platform to announce its recognition, following lobbying from France and growing support across Europe. Instead of immediate recognition, the UK and France are now pushing for a list of preconditions to be met before any future move, including a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the release of Israeli captives, reforms within the Palestinian Authority, reconstruction of Gaza, and the removal of Hamas from power. French president Emmanuel Macron had earlier described recognition as a 'moral duty and political requirement,' framing it as part of a possible exchange in which Saudi Arabia might move to recognize Israel. In recent days, France informed Israeli officials that recognition would not take place during the conference. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot defended the reversal, calling recognition at this stage merely 'symbolic' and citing France's responsibility as a UN Security Council member to act in line with its allies. In response, Kenneth Roth, former director of Human Rights Watch, cautioned that these conditions could become another 'endless' process used to stall Palestinian statehood. 'Those steps should not be an endless (nonexistent) 'peace process' but pressure on Israel to stop obstructing a state,' he said. Despite mounting European support, both France and the UK have come under pressure from the United States to shelve their plans. British Foreign Officials had told Middle East Eye earlier this month that the US has cautioned them against formal recognition, pushing them to step back from any such commitments. In a blatant show of disregard for international law, Israel announced plans to build 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank in retaliation for the UK-France consideration to recognize Palestine. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant declared the expansion 'a strategic move that prevents the establishment of a Palestinian state' — erasing the pretence of a two-state solution with an apartheid state. Even as Israel carries out a livestreamed genocide against over two million Palestinians—deliberately starving them into famine—international efforts to recognize Palestinian statehood remain entangled in appeasement of Israeli demands. Since October 2023, Israel has killed at least 54,000 people—a conservative estimate that excludes tens of thousands buried under rubble, dismembered beyond recognition, or literally vaporized by its latest genocidal weapons.


Morocco World
2 days ago
- Morocco World
Tunisian Ultras Join Convoy to Break Israeli Siege on Gaza
Rabat– Tunisian football ultras are taking part in a grassroots effort to confront and break the genocidal siege Israel continues to impose on Gaza. Several major supporter groups have declared their participation in the 'Resilience Convoy,' which is set to depart Tunisia on Monday, June 9, with plans to reach Gaza through Libya and Egypt. The convoy is being organized by the Coordination for Joint Action for Palestine, and has already received over 7,000 applications. Volunteers are being screened based on age, health, and logistical feasibility. Among the first to respond were the Bad Blue Boys Juniors, supporters of Espérance Sportive de Tunis (ES Tunis), and the Leaders Clubistes, affiliated with Club Africain. Both groups issued calls to action urging fans and citizens alike to take part in the convoy, framing it as a moral and political duty rooted in a long-standing tradition of Tunisian ultras using football spaces to express solidarity with Palestine. 'When the world falls silent, the crowds must scream,' declared Leaders Clubistes, affirming that solidarity with the Palestinian struggle remains a core part of their identity. Support has also come from Libya. The Teha Boys, ultras of Al-Ahly Tripoli, joined the initiative in a joint statement with their Tunisian counterparts. Major Tunisian unions—representing workers, farmers, doctors, and supporters—have also declared their backing for the convoy, now rallying under the revolutionary slogan: 'The Shackle Must Be Broken.' Despite clear threats from the Israeli regime, organizers are determined to proceed. 'We don't believe in the impossible,' said convoy spokesperson Wael Naouar. Read also: The convoy was originally scheduled to depart on June 15, but the date was moved forward to align with international resistance efforts, including the Freedom Flotilla, which is currently close to Gaza. Onboard the Madleen—named after Madleen Kulab, Gaza's only fisherwoman—are prominent activists including Greta Thunberg, actor Liam Cunningham, European Parliament member Rima Hassan, and Palestinian-American human rights attorney Huwaida Arraf. Organizers from both the land and sea missions have expressed concern over likely attacks by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), especially after Israel launched drone strikes in May against the Conscience, a Flotilla vessel in international waters near Malta. The siege of Gaza did not begin on October 7. It is the latest phase in a long-term genocidal campaign. Since 2007, Israel has imposed a total blockade on Gaza—by land, air, and sea—trapping over two million Palestinians in an open-air prison and cutting them off from basic survival needs. Every attempt to break the siege has been either violently intercepted or blocked outright. One of the most notorious attacks occurred in May 2010, when Israeli commandos stormed the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish aid ship in international waters, murdering ten activists. Israel later justified the killings under the familiar lie of 'self-defense,' claiming that their heavily armed soldiers were endangered by civilians on board. Now, in the midst of a near-total blockade and constant bombing, Israel has intensified its genocide on Gaza's civilian population. Gaza has been plunged into starvation, displacement, and unrelenting bombardment for almost 100 consecutive days. The genocidal hands feeding Gaza After banning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)—the only large-scale humanitarian body with long-standing infrastructure in Gaza—Israel replaced it with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US-backed private entity with no credible record of neutrality, capacity, or trust among Palestinians. Since GHF began operating distribution centers in late May, the IOF has killed more than 100 civilians near these 'aid' sites. Palestinians have come to see them not as relief hubs but as lethal ambush zones, where desperate people are gunned down. Speaking to Al Jazeera on the first day of Eid al-Adha in Gaza, June 6, as GHF sites closed , journalist and Khan Younis resident Ahmad al-Najjar stated that these centers 'have killed more people than they've helped. It's comical to say these distribution centers are closed today, as if they've been making a major difference.' In reality, GHF centers have become symbolic of the broader Israeli policy— use starvation as a weapon of war, crush any mechanism of organized relief, and kill those who dare to seek aid. As Gaza remains under genocidal siege, initiatives like the Resilience Convoy are both a humanitarian act and a political stance—one that refuses silence, complicity, or fear.


Morocco World
2 days ago
- Morocco World
France, Morocco Agree on Roadmap to Jumpstart Energy Cooperation
Doha – Morocco's Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, has held strategic discussions with her French counterpart in Paris to advance bilateral cooperation on major energy projects. Benali met with Marc Ferracci during her working visit to Paris on Friday, with the pair pledging to strengthen energy cooperation between the two countries. The meeting focused on accelerating their two countries' partnership in renewable energy, electric interconnection, and low-carbon transition. This high-level encounter builds upon Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Morocco in October 2024, which the French president made at the invitation of King Mohammed VI. That diplomatic milestone resulted in several major agreements, including an ambitious strategic partnership in energy, electrical interconnections, and low-carbon transition. At the center of discussions was the innovative electrical interconnection project between France and Morocco. The bidirectional 'off-grid' underwater connection requires installing a cable at unprecedented depths. Both ministers reviewed the technical and regulatory steps needed to launch an international market test for this groundbreaking project. Holding shared commitments Industrial cooperation featured prominently in the talks. The ministers examined joint investment opportunities in renewable energy sectors, including cable manufacturing, solar and wind energy, battery production, and the development of strategic industrial components. 'Green molecules' such as hydrogen and ammonia were also on the agenda. Officials identified their potential use in land, air, and maritime transport, while calling attention to the need for coordinated industrial integration in these emerging sectors. Both parties stressed the importance of collaborative research and innovation, particularly around cutting-edge technologies like energy storage, electrolyzers, and sustainable mobility. They shared a commitment to developing concrete and competitive solutions. The meeting concluded with renewed political and institutional commitments from both countries. Their stated goal is to develop model projects that will contribute to energy sovereignty, industrial competitiveness, and climate transition acceleration. This partnership aligns with the royal vision of establishing Morocco as a regional clean energy hub and a key player in the international climate response. Read also: Portugal Turns to Morocco Power Link as France Blocks EU Grid Tags: leila benaliMorocco France Relations