Gaza 'genocide' comment prompts walkout by German minister at Berlinale

A Palestinian-Syrian film director accused Germany of being "partners in the genocide in Gaza by Israel" at the Berlin Film Festival, prompting a German minister to walk out of the awards ceremony.



The remarks by Abdallah Al-Khatib, whose "Chronicles From the Siege" won the Berlinale's Perspectives section for emerging filmmakers, capped a politically charged festival, with organisers facing criticism from actors and directors for not taking a stance on the war in Gaza.



Discussions about Israeli actions are particularly sensitive in Germany, which has become one of Israel's staunchest supporters, principally because of historical guilt for the Nazi Holocaust. The German government has said Israel has a right to self-defence after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas.



"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. But I don't care. I care about my people, about Palestine," said Al-Khatib, standing on stage with a keffiyeh scarf draped on his shoulder and raising a Palestinian flag at the end of his speech late on Saturday.



German Environment Minister Carsten Schneider, who was in the audience, walked out following the remarks.