Gaza war protest in Berlin could see record attendance on Saturday

A major protest against the war in Gaza is expected to draw tens of thousands of participants in Berlin on Saturday.

The “All Eyes on Gaza” demonstration is “expected to be the largest rally in Germany in solidarity with Gaza,” said co-organizer Jules El-Khatib at a press conference on Tuesday. “So far, the biggest rally was 50,000 in Berlin. We want to beat that.”

The event is being organized by an alliance of 50 associations, including Amnesty International, Medico International and representatives from the Palestinian and Jewish communities in the German capital.

Organizers accuse Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, a charge that the Israeli government has steadfastly denied.

The call for the demonstration states: “We condemn all war crimes and human rights violations, regardless of whether they are committed by Israeli or Palestinian actors.”

However, amid the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza, the “main criticism is directed at the Israeli government and its supporters.”

The rally calls for an end to “German complicity,” including a military embargo on Israel, support for a ceasefire and efforts to secure the release of “all victims of war crimes who are illegally detained – thousands in Israeli prisons and dozens held hostage in Gaza.”

Activist Amal Hamad rejected the accusation that pro-Palestinian demonstrators have anti-Semitic motives. When Palestinians take to the streets, they are protesting against injustice in the Gaza Strip, not against Jewish society in Germany, she argued.

The rally was originally scheduled to take place in front of the parliament building, but was moved to the Victory Column in agreement with Berlin authorities, organizers said.