Sat, May 5th, from 2pm rallye at Kottbusser Tor in Berlin-Kreuzberg
Iranians und Israelis against Germanys contribution to escalation of conflicts in Near and Middle East
We, Iranians and Israelis living in Berlin, protest together against the current politics of Germany, Israel and Iran, all aiming at escalation and military conflict in the Middle East. We oppose the armament of Israel by the German government, the sanctions imposed on Iran by the West, and the politics of war threats and deliberate escalation perpetrated by both the Israeli and Iranian regimes. We maintain that the nuclear hype is used by both the Iranian and the Israeli regimes to secure their power by diverting public attention from the pressing existential needs of their peoples: the growing social and economic tensions, inequalities and repression. Moreover, the fabricated conflict between the two countries is used to prevent criticism both abroad and at home of decades of occupation and repression of the Palestinian people by Israel and of the oppression of the Iranian people by the regime in Iran.
In the face of mounting war threats, we are convinced of the necessity of a strong opposition to warmongering and of a critical analysis of the underlying causes of the current conflict. We seek to act against the war by shaping ties between the people from the region, encouraging resistance/opposition at home and abroad, and encouraging a critical debate within the German public regarding Germanys intervention in the Middle East.
Saying No to Sanctions
The sanctions claimed to be targeted against the government have in fact mainly targeted the population and adversely affected the Iranian protest movements that started in 2009. A war added to the crippling sanctions, in addition to its immediate human cost, would serve as a tool for the government to crack down on and repress the protests. We stand together in solidarity with the struggles of the Iranian people and believe they are the only legitimate force to change the current situation in Iran.
No to the International Contribution to the Regions Arms-Race
We are outraged by the involvement of Western governments in the military escalation in the region: Germany has just supplied Israel, that already has nuclear weapons, with yet another military submarine designed to carry nuclear warheads, and it has for years been infamous for supplying Israel and other states in the region with weapons and surveillance devices.
We call for:
- A public debate in Germany, Israel and Iran: it is time to stop ignoring these issues and to put an end to the imminent danger.
- Germany to end its military involvement in the Middle East, and to stop its arms supply to Israel.
- An end of war threats from all sides
- An end to all sanctions on Iran.
- An end to occupation as well as to all wars and militarization in the Middle East.
- The dismantling of all nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction in the region.