Pro-Palestinian, Israeli activists demand German chancellor ‘Stop the genocide’

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) - Young Israelis and Palestinians interrupted German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s speech at the Leipzig Book Fair because of his support for Israel in its military offensive against the Gaza Strip.

Pro-Palestinian activists interrupted Scholz’s opening speech several times late Wednesday and shouted: “Stop sending weapons to Israel” and “Stop the genocide.”

“Mr. Scholz, you cannot talk about democracy while your money and your weapons are killing thousands,” one protester shouted from the balcony of the auditorium.

“You’re complicit with genocide. I’m an Israeli, and I’m telling you, your money is funding fascism and apartheid,” she said.

Another chastised Scholz for describing the situation in Gaza as a “humanitarian catastrophe,” and demanded he stop sending weapons to Israel.

“It is not a humanitarian catastrophe, it’s a genocide. The blood of all those children is on your hands,” she said.

The chancellor asked protesters to let him finish his comments, but then gave an angry response: "Stop shouting. Stop it."

“I believe that it is not right to confuse democracy with loud roaring,” Scholz said before he continued his speech.

Several protesters were stopped by security and forcibly escorted out of the venue.

Despite growing public pressure, Berlin remains one of the strongest supporters of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.

Scholz has repeatedly said Germany bears special responsibility for Israel because of its Nazi history.

In recent weeks, Scholz has urged a humanitarian cease-fire to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza but stopped short of condemning war crimes committed by the Israeli military.

Critics have said the German government should stop arms deliveries to Israel and increase pressure on the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if it is serious about a cease-fire and ending the immense suffering of Palestinians.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack led by Hamas in which nearly 1,200 Israelis were killed.

Nearly 32,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and more than 74,000 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide, and guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.