Berlin Archives - CrossFireArarbia

Arab-US Artist Fareed Armaly Declines German Top Award

CrossFireArabia
February 6, 2025

Arab-American artist and curator Fareed Armaly rejected a prestigious award by the Academy of Arts in Berlin to protest censorship and cancel culture targeting pro-Palestinian voices in Germany.

The Academy of Arts in Berlin released a statement on Thursday, acknowledging “with respect and deep regret” Armaly’s decision to decline the prestigious Kaethe Kollwitz Award.

In a letter to the institution, Armaly, born in the US, explained his reasons for declining the award, criticizing what he called a “disturbing trend of censorship in Germany” and “intolerable interference” aimed at silencing pro-Palestinian voices.

Der amerikanische Künstler Fareed Armaly nimmt den mit 12.000 Euro dotierten Käthe-Kollwitz-Preis 2025 nicht an. In seiner Begründung verweist er auf einen „beunruhigenden Trend zur Zensur“ in Deutschland. https://t.co/KBABwGmEUJ
— Frankfurter Allgemeine gesamt (@FAZ_NET) February 6, 2025

“For several years now, there has been a highly politicized, reactionary shift in official cultural policies, aimed at silencing advocates for Palestinian rights under international law,” he said in his letter.

“In such a context of intimidation, liberal cultural institutions appear to adopt complacency and self-censorship. All this, consciously or unconsciously, structurally performs the ongoing dehumanization of Palestinians by obscuring and body_abstracting their agency and voice,” he added.

Germany has been a staunch ally of Israel, and government officials have repeatedly said the country bears special responsibility for Israel due to the country’s Nazi past.

In recent months, German authorities have intensified restrictions on pro-Palestinian activities—banning hundreds of protests, canceling cultural events, and imposing travel bans on prominent international figures invited to speak at pro-Palestinian events in the country.

Critics accuse Berlin of giving a blanket support to the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial policies, and turning a blind eye to war crimes committed by the Israeli military in Gaza according to Anadolu.

Armaly has exhibited extensively in international institutions and distinguished platforms, including Documenta 11.

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UNRWA – Breaking Point

CrossFireArabia
October 16, 2024

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), stated that the agency is approaching a possible breaking point for its operations due to the ongoing attacks in the Gaza Strip.

Lazzarini added in a press conference in Berlin:

“I will not hide the fact that we might reach a point where we won’t be able to operate anymore.”

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Germany Asks Israel For ‘Genocide Clause’ if it Wants Arms

CrossFireArabia
October 14, 2024

Germany has asked Israel to sign a “genocide clause” if it wants the continuation of arms deliveries.

According to the German newspaper Bild, the “genocide clause” is a precondition. The newspaper added that no arms were delivered to Israel from Germany since March.

This piece of news is trending on the social media and is generating much interest from bloggers. The clause, apparently agreed to by the Israelis government and delivered in a form of a document to Berlin on 10 October commits Tel Aviv not to use German arms for its war genocide in Gaza.

Apparently the document was good enough as an assurance for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz who declared in parliament the following day that “We have supplied arms, and we will supply arms”.

The genocide clause insertion may have been pushed by the Economy Minister Robert Habeck and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock of the Greens who initially sought a ban on arms shipment to Israel.

One blogger says that “Germany asking Israel to sign a ‘genocide clause’ is like an ostrich with its head in the sand.”

Another says “that won’t absolve anyone of wrongdoing” while a third adds “the clause is insignificant if meant to be a way of fulfilling Germany’s ‘obligation to prevent Genocide.’ Its much closer to an admission of guilt.”