cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/21757735
cross-posted from: https://hcommons.social/users/adachika192/statuses/113361576959117988
Iranian-German Photographer Asked to Apologize for Saying “Free Palestine”: The German Photographic Society called Shirin Abedi’s award acceptance speech “dogmatic fanaticism” and “anti-Israeli agitation.”
(Hyperallergic, 2024-19-23)https://hyperallergic.com/960502/iranian-german-shirin-abedi-photographer-asked-to-apologize-for-saying-free-palestine/
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＊With a short video of her giving speech in kufiya＊“At its October 12 gala, the organization presented the laureates of this year’s awards, including Iranian-German photographer Shirin Abedi, … Upon receiving her award, Abedi made a minute-long statement that ended with a call to ‘free Palestine.’”
“A few days after the ceremony, German photojournalist Thomas Gerwers, the chairman of DGPh’s Art, Market, and Law Section, sent Abedi a letter asking the artist to issue an apology and accusing her of ‘political propaganda.‘”
“‘… we have a special responsibility for the right of the State of Israel to exist. Without ifs and buts,’ he continued. ‘We have been abused by you …’”
it’s very telling that being pro palestine is immediately interpreted as being “anti israel”
How can you support Palestine and not advocate against the Israel occupation?
Advocating against occupation doesn’t mean that you are against the state. When you criticize US for its war crimes, perhaps you only wish to stop them from committing the war crimes. This is more like the foundation of responsible patriotism. Not being servile anytime the newly elected war criminal wishes to commit more crimes. It just depends what kind of state do you want yours to be. In the case of apartheid, fighting for its abolishment is also fighting for democracy. Although I understand that this nonservility to criminal governments has always been difficult for germans.
But the illegitimate state of Isn’treal is an occupation state. There can’t be one without occupation of the Palestinian land. It’s a colony. If you wish the end of the colonisation, you want the dislocation of the state
Maybe some people agree with your stance on the territory.(I use the UN declaration of where the occupation is illegal). Nevertheless germans cannot argue that its anti israel, since they have to recognize that the occupation is illegal in the ‘occupied territories’ which are not usually defined as all of israel furthermore you cannot be an occupier of your own territory so since germans recognize israel your argument would not apply to them. But i agree that if the whole territory was considered as under occupation(which it almost never is) you would be right.