We, the Palestinian factions, strongly condemn the German parliament's statement to criminalize the boycott of the Israeli occupation, especially the international boycott movement (BDS), and declare it a form of anti-Semitism.
This statement comes as a great shock to our Palestinian people, who have been fighting for their freedom, independence and statehood, especially that BDS is a peaceful means aiming to put pressure on the Israeli occupation to end its occupation and stop its aggression against us.
We fully reject this statement for the following reasons:
First, International law guarantees the peoples under occupation the right to resist with all means available, and boycott is one of the peaceful means to exercise this right.
Second, the United Nations and the European Parliament have considered that the practice of "boycott" is an integral part of the freedom of expression guaranteed to all to express their opinion on any issue.
Third, the criminalization of "boycott" as a non-violent means of struggle against the occupation provides cover for this occupation to continue its racist policies and aggression against our people and provides impunity against prosecution for the crimes committed against our people.
Fourth, labeling "BDS" as anti-Semitic is a historical fallacy and a violation of reality. On one hand, the Zionist movement and the establishment of the State of Israel do not represent all Jews around the world. On the other hand, millions of Jews around the world today do not see “Israel” as their representative.
Here we would like to reaffirm that our Palestinian people have no problem with Jews and Judaism as a religion. Rather, our main issue is with the Israeli occupier of our land that has deprived our people of their basic rights to freedom and independence.
Fifth, such statements do not serve to end the conflict, but rather they perpetuate the occupation and prolong the state of violence and instability in the region.
We look forward to the German parliament’s taking a bold decision to reverse this statement and even replace it with resolutions that support the right of our people to establish their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.
We anticipate Germany’s continued support for our people languishing under occupation by all political and material means.
We hope you may work to end all Israeli actions in violation of the resolutions of international legitimacy, foremost of which are the settlement constructions in the Palestinian territories, and to work to remove all these settlements so that our people can guarantee their right to return to their homes from which they were forcibly displaced in 1948 and achieve their independence and freedom like the rest of the peoples around the world.
The Palestinian people eagerly aspire to participate in the promotion of international peace and security starting first with the quest to achieve their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.
Gaza – Palestine
Palestinian National and Islamic Factions:
Palestinian National Liberation Movement – Fatah
Islamic Resistance Movement – Hamas
Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)
Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP)
Palestinian Democratic Union (FIDA)
Palestinian People's Party
Palestinian National Initiative
Vanguard for the Popular Liberation War – As-Sa'iqa
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command
Palestinian Popular Struggle Front
Palestinian Liberation Front
Arab Liberation Front
Palestinian Arab Front
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