Germany’s environment minister walked out of the Berlin Film Festival awards ceremony after a Palestinian-Syrian director accused the German government of being a “partner in the genocide in Gaza by Israel.”
Abdallah Al-Khatib, whose film “Chronicles From the Siege” won the Berlinale’s Perspectives section for emerging filmmakers, made the remarks during his acceptance speech on Saturday night, capping a politically charged edition of the festival.
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Director Abdallah Alkhatib accepts the GWFF Best Feature Film Debut Award for 'Chronicles From the Siege'
(Photo: Reuters)
Standing on stage with a keffiyeh draped over his shoulder and raising a Palestinian flag at the end of his speech, Al-Khatib said he would address the German government directly.
“Some people told me maybe you have to be careful before you say what I want to say now, because you are a refugee in Germany and there are so many red lines,” he said. “But I don’t care. I care about my people, about Palestine.”
“So I will say my final word to the German government: You are partners in the genocide in Gaza by Israel. I believe you are intelligent enough to recognize this truth, but you choose not to care.”
German Environment Minister Carsten Schneider, who was in the audience, left the ceremony following the remarks. A spokesperson said Sunday that the minister considered the statements unacceptable and therefore exited during the speech.
Israel has strongly denied that its military campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide, saying its actions are justified as self-defense following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas terrorists. The German government has repeatedly affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself, citing Germany’s historical responsibility stemming from the Holocaust, a policy often referred to as “Staatsraison.”
Human rights experts, some scholars, and a United Nations inquiry have argued that Israel’s actions in Gaza may constitute genocide, a claim Israel rejects.
Israeli Ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor praised Schneider’s decision. “Respect for Minister Schneider and his moral clarity,” he told the Bild newspaper.
The Berlinale, as the festival is known, has long been considered more overtly political than other major European film festivals such as Cannes or Venice. This year’s edition featured frequent discussion of the war in Gaza, with several filmmakers using their acceptance speeches to express solidarity with Palestinians.
German director Wim Wenders, serving as jury president, urged artists and activists to act as allies rather than rivals, after controversy earlier in the festival over comments about whether filmmakers should be political.
Turkish filmmaker Emin Alper also referenced Gaza during his speech. “The least we can do here is to break the silence and remind them that they are not really alone,” he said, referring to Palestinians and others affected by conflict worldwide.