TEHRAN – The growing disconnect between public sentiment in Germany and the pro-Israel stance of the government was fully exhibited this weekend as Berlin held its biggest protest in history in solidarity with Gaza against the backdrop of a nearly two-year military campaign on Israeli territory.
Organizers of the “All Eyes of Gaza” rally said over 100,000 people buried Central Berlin on Saturday, accusing Israel of committing “genocide” against the Palestinians and accusing the German government of downplaying the scale of Gaza’s atrocities.
“The actions of the Israeli government have long been called genocide by experts and international organizations. The International Court of Justice investigates them that way,” the organizers said in a statement. “It is clear that Israeli forces are engaged in massive atrocities in Gaza, but the German government continues to deny systemic violence.”
The protest was coordinated by alliances of around 50 groups, including the pro-Palestinian organization, the Left Party, Medico International and Amnesty International, and was proposed for an immediate halt to German arms exports to Israel. The protesters also urged the European Union to impose sanctions on Israel and called for unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza.
According to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA), chants from “Free Palestine” and “Long Live International Solidity” echoed through the crowd, reading “Gaza – Stup the Massacre”, “Never for Everyone” and “Freedom for Palestine.” In his speech, Left Party leader Ines Schweldner criticized the government’s perceived condemnation. “The Prime Minister and the pastor will talk, but they will not act,” she said, adding that German officials will “keep silent and conspire on the genocide.”
Berlin police deployed around 1,800 police officers and reported their arrests amid a brawl with demonstrators.
The protest comes in the wake of an independent UN investigation that concluded that Israel committed genocide against Gaza’s Palestinians. Israel-based human rights groups have come to similar conclusions, with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) considering filings for genocide. Meanwhile, UN agencies have warned that a large portion of Gaza’s population is facing hunger.
Germany has historically maintained close ties with Israel and remains one of its largest weapons suppliers. He continues to provide military support to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is labelled “Butcher of Gaza.” Public opinion seems to be changing. A recent survey showed that over 60% of German voters believe Israeli actions in Gaza constitute genocide and put pressure on the right government to reassess its policies.
Prime Minister Mertz and Foreign Minister Johann Wadefel have recently intensified criticism of Israel’s military attacks and blockade of humanitarian aid, but they have stopped using the term genocide and instead labeled military action as “unbalanced.” Germany still does not recognize Palestinian states, in contrast to countries like France, the UK, Australia and Canada.
As the death toll in Gaza continues to rise, the massive demonstrations highlight a clear shift in German public sentiment. The true numbers are probably high as more than 66,000 people have been killed since the Israeli campaign was launched in October 2023, with the victims still locked up under the roof rubber.
The protests in Berlin signaled strong solidarity with the Palestinians and turned their attention to the resilience of their lasting spirit of resistance. He also highlighted the growing domestic challenge to Germany’s long-standing alliance with Israel. It remains unclear whether the German government will be able to listen to public sentiment meaningfully, but the scale of citizen mobilization could put more pressure on policymakers to rethink arms exports, humanitarian aid and broader foreign policy decisions in the coming months.