1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,554 [Francesca] Just to make sure we are safe, 2 00:00:03,204 --> 00:00:06,963 can you confirm that police is here to protect all of us? 3 00:00:07,043 --> 00:00:07,870 [Crowd cheers] 4 00:00:07,930 --> 00:00:08,907 Good! 5 00:00:08,954 --> 00:00:11,399 [Crowd cheers] 6 00:00:11,459 --> 00:00:14,009 [Wieland] So I have the great pleasure of welcoming 7 00:00:14,020 --> 00:00:15,754 Francesca Albanese 8 00:00:15,944 --> 00:00:19,511 [Crowd cheers] 9 00:00:19,621 --> 00:00:22,329 United Nations Special Rapporteur 10 00:00:22,340 --> 00:00:25,976 for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian territories. 11 00:00:27,650 --> 00:00:30,989 Before I hand over to Francesca for some preliminary 12 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,689 remarks I would just like to inform everyone that 13 00:00:34,700 --> 00:00:36,854 at the last update 14 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:42,003 that I received, we had 1 ,700 people viewing the live stream. 15 00:00:42,309 --> 00:00:47,599 [Crowd cheers] 16 00:00:47,699 --> 00:00:52,649 So this this may be a small room, but the virtual space 17 00:00:52,660 --> 00:00:54,764 we are occupying is a large one. 18 00:00:54,764 --> 00:00:56,869 So without further ado, 19 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:59,832 Francesca please speak to us. 20 00:00:59,914 --> 00:01:03,659 [Crowd cheers] 21 00:01:03,740 --> 00:01:06,020 [Francesca] You're not police, right? 22 00:01:06,094 --> 00:01:08,669 [Crowd laughs] 23 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:14,004 Camouflaging okay. 24 00:01:14,004 --> 00:01:19,249 So I have to admit that about 75 25 00:01:19,260 --> 00:01:25,718 hours in this country have made me pretty nervous. 26 00:01:26,620 --> 00:01:30,905 I can't wait to go back to peaceful Tunisia 27 00:01:31,075 --> 00:01:35,135 [Crowd cheers] 28 00:01:35,230 --> 00:01:36,940 because the situation is bad 29 00:01:36,940 --> 00:01:39,910 for freedom of expression pretty much 30 00:01:39,910 --> 00:01:45,659 everywhere and still I've never felt this sense of 31 00:01:45,670 --> 00:01:48,619 lacking oxygen as I do here. 32 00:01:48,790 --> 00:01:52,699 So please, please, I know they're very happy to see me. 33 00:01:53,390 --> 00:01:55,289 Make sense. 34 00:01:56,944 --> 00:02:00,499 Yes, but I'm someone who speaks 35 00:02:00,510 --> 00:02:04,077 of genocide and there is a genocide ongoing 36 00:02:04,140 --> 00:02:08,679 and doesn't matter how much genocide denialism there is, 37 00:02:08,690 --> 00:02:11,949 we need to be really aware, aware of 38 00:02:11,950 --> 00:02:14,470 what we need to do all together because I really want 39 00:02:14,470 --> 00:02:18,239 to be heard loud and clear before we start talking about 40 00:02:18,250 --> 00:02:23,665 what I came to know the most, genocide, this year. 41 00:02:24,010 --> 00:02:28,859 I want to say a few things on which I absolutely don't want to be 42 00:02:29,460 --> 00:02:31,609 taken wrong and misquoted, 43 00:02:31,950 --> 00:02:33,854 but of course I will be misquoted! 44 00:02:33,950 --> 00:02:37,779 So it is a great pleasure for me to be with you today 45 00:02:37,790 --> 00:02:41,659 and I wish to thank DiEM, A Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the 46 00:02:41,670 --> 00:02:44,839 Middle East, Eye on Palestine and Gaza Committee 47 00:02:45,070 --> 00:02:47,337 for their immense work, 48 00:02:47,637 --> 00:02:50,734 [Crowd cheers] 49 00:02:51,064 --> 00:02:51,917 Stop it! 50 00:02:52,117 --> 00:02:53,531 [Crowd laughs] 51 00:02:53,901 --> 00:02:55,099 for their immense work 52 00:02:55,099 --> 00:02:56,669 in bringing this meeting together 53 00:02:56,669 --> 00:02:58,719 and for inviting me to be here in Berlin. 54 00:02:58,730 --> 00:03:01,339 I'm sure you have the gratitude of so many for 55 00:03:01,350 --> 00:03:04,799 creating this platform for many to come together to speak 56 00:03:04,810 --> 00:03:07,649 on one of the most urgent issues of our time. 57 00:03:08,230 --> 00:03:10,839 Without your courage and dedication, we would not be 58 00:03:10,850 --> 00:03:15,299 here today, although, although, for the venue we must thank 59 00:03:15,310 --> 00:03:19,819 Junge Welt who has given the event last-minute asylum 60 00:03:19,830 --> 00:03:20,769 and of course, 61 00:03:20,949 --> 00:03:23,989 [Crowd cheers] 62 00:03:23,989 --> 00:03:25,379 You are unruly! 63 00:03:26,069 --> 00:03:28,149 and of course, we have to also 64 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,689 acknowledge the Israeli ambassador, pro-Israel 65 00:03:31,700 --> 00:03:34,639 groups and professional smearers in Germany, 66 00:03:35,020 --> 00:03:38,449 a number of German politicians including the city mayor, 67 00:03:38,460 --> 00:03:42,329 Berlin police without whose relentless work and pressure and 68 00:03:42,340 --> 00:03:46,409 intimidation we would be in another, much bigger venue. 69 00:03:46,780 --> 00:03:48,599 I know how you feel. 70 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:52,549 I feel it, too, somewhat, even though the intimidation has 71 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:55,779 gotten on my nerves, but not yet under my skin. 72 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,669 And with German authorities' permission, I plan to return, 73 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:03,489 as I said, to the safety of my home in Tunisia 74 00:04:03,500 --> 00:04:05,219 before this changes. 75 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:08,159 We should not fear words. 76 00:04:09,430 --> 00:04:10,869 We shall fear crimes. 77 00:04:10,870 --> 00:04:15,129 Those that commit them, and those who deny them. 78 00:04:16,170 --> 00:04:19,059 And as we proceed, I must acknowledge that some of 79 00:04:19,070 --> 00:04:21,588 the words I will speak today might be heavy. 80 00:04:22,089 --> 00:04:25,759 I recognise that many of you carry significant pain, 81 00:04:25,780 --> 00:04:28,699 and it is with this awareness that I ask for your patience and 82 00:04:28,710 --> 00:04:32,480 understanding as we explore these difficult subjects. 83 00:04:33,170 --> 00:04:36,459 Please know that my intention is not to add to that pain, 84 00:04:36,470 --> 00:04:39,759 but to bring light, healing, and perhaps a sense of solidarity 85 00:04:39,770 --> 00:04:41,940 as we move forward together. 86 00:04:42,470 --> 00:04:45,399 As you are all aware, my presence in Germany 87 00:04:45,410 --> 00:04:49,116 these few days has been controversial for many. 88 00:04:50,070 --> 00:04:54,439 Universities, the beacon of free speech, the cradle of 89 00:04:54,450 --> 00:04:58,046 free debate, where people can also disagree, right? 90 00:04:58,046 --> 00:05:01,799 have cancelled events where I was supposed to give talks or 91 00:05:01,810 --> 00:05:05,381 lectures without any warning, let alone an apology. 92 00:05:06,190 --> 00:05:07,189 That's rude. 93 00:05:07,850 --> 00:05:11,419 The organisers in many cases have had to switch venues 94 00:05:11,430 --> 00:05:15,019 at the last minute, facing threats, condemnation and 95 00:05:15,030 --> 00:05:19,849 harassment on the street and online, hopefully not on site 96 00:05:19,900 --> 00:05:24,159 as if I were someone advocating for hate or someone 97 00:05:24,170 --> 00:05:28,519 wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes 98 00:05:28,530 --> 00:05:30,322 and crimes against humanity. 99 00:05:30,690 --> 00:05:33,779 Instead, I'm just a legal expert appointed by the 100 00:05:33,790 --> 00:05:36,380 United Nations to document and report on the violations 101 00:05:36,380 --> 00:05:37,789 committed by Israel. 102 00:05:37,950 --> 00:05:42,259 This is what the resolution creating my mandate says, 103 00:05:42,270 --> 00:05:45,919 even if I also document the violations committed by Hamas 104 00:05:45,930 --> 00:05:48,570 and the Palestinian Authority. 105 00:05:49,170 --> 00:05:52,219 I'm the eighth special rapporteur to do this after 106 00:05:52,230 --> 00:05:56,239 illustrious jurists such as John Duggar, Richard Folk, and 107 00:05:56,250 --> 00:05:59,799 Michael Link, and the first woman to serve in this 108 00:05:59,810 --> 00:06:02,141 position after 33 years. 109 00:06:02,430 --> 00:06:03,749 It is in this capacity... 110 00:06:03,790 --> 00:06:05,659 This is where you applaud. 111 00:06:05,899 --> 00:06:11,665 [Audience laughs and applauds.] 112 00:06:11,780 --> 00:06:15,779 I really want to chill a little bit because it's heavy. 113 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:18,619 It is in this capacity that I came to Berlin. 114 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:19,959 I arrived here. 115 00:06:19,980 --> 00:06:22,749 This is something I'm saying just to remind everyone that 116 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:25,249 I came as a special rapporteur, still representing 117 00:06:25,260 --> 00:06:28,009 the United Nations, if there is an inch of respect 118 00:06:28,020 --> 00:06:30,697 for this institution that is left in this country. 119 00:06:30,847 --> 00:06:34,049 I arrived here after traveling across Northern Europe and 120 00:06:34,060 --> 00:06:37,549 being generally welcomed, even where pro-Israel groups 121 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:40,869 succeeded to have some cave in to their pressure and 122 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:42,759 mafia-style techniques. 123 00:06:43,540 --> 00:06:46,669 And I'm shocked to see how absurd the world that we 124 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:49,269 live in has become, where impartiality to the facts 125 00:06:49,280 --> 00:06:51,629 and the requirements of international law generate 126 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:54,769 more controversy than the killing, maiming, 127 00:06:54,780 --> 00:06:58,029 torturing, raping, starving, burning alive, 128 00:06:58,040 --> 00:06:59,579 and entire people as such 129 00:06:59,580 --> 00:07:02,132 for 16 months and counting, 130 00:07:02,300 --> 00:07:05,379 and yet, this is the world we live in. 131 00:07:05,580 --> 00:07:09,029 But so, before getting into the debate, 132 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:11,279 what is impartiality and what does it mean? 133 00:07:11,620 --> 00:07:13,079 What is it not? 134 00:07:13,290 --> 00:07:15,977 Because this is something that I would like you to carry 135 00:07:16,090 --> 00:07:20,643 with you after this wonderful afternoon together. 136 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:25,389 Impartiality for human rights defenders, investigators and 137 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:28,329 monitors like myself entails an obligation to investigate 138 00:07:28,340 --> 00:07:31,014 and establish the facts objectively, 139 00:07:31,170 --> 00:07:35,409 studying everything that is brought to our knowledge against 140 00:07:35,420 --> 00:07:37,337 applicable international law. 141 00:07:37,540 --> 00:07:41,109 Once the assessment is done, my job is not to be 142 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:44,021 equidistant from the parties, whatever it is, 143 00:07:44,150 --> 00:07:48,489 but to insist on measures to restore legality, to undo injustice 144 00:07:48,500 --> 00:07:50,483 and prevent further abuses. 145 00:07:50,980 --> 00:07:54,349 In the case of Palestine, it is overwhelmingly documented 146 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:56,789 that Israel commits intentionally, and as a matter 147 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,729 of state policy, the gravest human rights offenses, 148 00:07:59,790 --> 00:08:03,669 as part of its long-standing plan to maintain control over 149 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:10,009 what Israeli human rights organisation B'Tselem has 150 00:08:10,020 --> 00:08:14,579 called, quote: 'A regime of Jewish supremacy 151 00:08:14,580 --> 00:08:17,968 from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.' 152 00:08:19,769 --> 00:08:21,379 [Crowd laughs] 153 00:08:21,580 --> 00:08:23,299 Full stop, end of quote. 154 00:08:25,850 --> 00:08:28,349 Impartiality cannot be used as a pompous name 155 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:31,119 for indifference and an elegant name for ignorance. 156 00:08:31,460 --> 00:08:34,168 Impartiality is not about maintaining the pretense of 157 00:08:34,179 --> 00:08:37,049 both sides in the face of international atrocities, 158 00:08:37,060 --> 00:08:39,689 of maintaining, as I was saying, an equidistant position 159 00:08:39,700 --> 00:08:44,129 between conflicting parties, even when their positions 160 00:08:44,140 --> 00:08:46,508 are structurally and historically unequal. 161 00:08:46,980 --> 00:08:50,889 When one side occupies, depredates, and oppresses, 162 00:08:50,900 --> 00:08:54,369 and the other is being occupied, depredated, and dispossessed, 163 00:08:54,380 --> 00:08:56,999 this is a recipe for disaster and violence. 164 00:08:57,000 --> 00:08:59,585 impartiality is not neutrality. 165 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:03,629 Neutrality meaning maintaining an equidistant position 166 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:06,609 between conflicting parties even when their positions 167 00:09:06,620 --> 00:09:10,899 might not be equal and usually to deliver life-saving aid. 168 00:09:11,220 --> 00:09:14,229 It's not my mandate and not even that of universities 169 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:16,379 and not even that of your politicians. 170 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:20,729 Our job is not to stay neutral, our job is to stay 171 00:09:20,740 --> 00:09:23,439 truthful to international law. 172 00:09:23,540 --> 00:09:25,913 This is what all of us have in common. 173 00:09:26,970 --> 00:09:30,279 And I stand firmly on universal human rights 174 00:09:30,290 --> 00:09:32,929 of respect for life and human dignity. 175 00:09:33,050 --> 00:09:35,839 And whenever it is the case that a state is being allowed 176 00:09:35,850 --> 00:09:39,699 with impunity to violate these rights, I must speak up, firmly, 177 00:09:39,710 --> 00:09:41,478 on the side of the oppressed. 178 00:09:41,550 --> 00:09:45,399 If those who found my presence tonight controversial 179 00:09:45,410 --> 00:09:48,479 could understand this basic principle, the difference 180 00:09:48,490 --> 00:09:51,279 between impartiality and neutrality, perhaps there 181 00:09:51,290 --> 00:09:53,639 would be far less controversy in the first place, 182 00:09:53,710 --> 00:09:56,639 and of course, there should be understanding and condemnation 183 00:09:56,639 --> 00:09:58,930 for what has happened to Israeli civilians during 184 00:09:58,930 --> 00:10:00,003 the brutal attack that 185 00:10:00,003 --> 00:10:02,600 Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups carried out on 186 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:06,419 October 7, 2023, as there should be understanding 187 00:10:06,430 --> 00:10:08,799 and condemnation for the massacres, violence, 188 00:10:08,810 --> 00:10:11,499 and oppression that the Palestinians have experienced 189 00:10:11,510 --> 00:10:14,789 since the Nakba and before the Nakba, 190 00:10:14,830 --> 00:10:18,399 resistance and opposition to which has certainly 191 00:10:18,410 --> 00:10:19,669 not spared the Israelis. 192 00:10:20,170 --> 00:10:23,019 But here we are in an era where speaking out on human 193 00:10:23,030 --> 00:10:26,199 rights has become a hateful act or even a crime where 194 00:10:26,210 --> 00:10:30,468 truth is a lie and lies the truth that is used to justify this. 195 00:10:30,540 --> 00:10:33,559 I mean, I don't see anyone but I was prepared 196 00:10:33,570 --> 00:10:35,484 to see more police. 197 00:10:35,750 --> 00:10:40,270 Orwell's famous proclamation that: 'War is peace, freedom is slavery, 198 00:10:40,270 --> 00:10:42,520 ignorance is strength' and that quote has never 199 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:44,769 been more true than in the discourse surrounding 200 00:10:44,769 --> 00:10:46,219 Israel and Palestine. 201 00:10:46,470 --> 00:10:50,759 This brings me to the elephant in the room, the genocide that 202 00:10:50,770 --> 00:10:53,939 Israel has been allowed to commit after 56 years of 203 00:10:53,950 --> 00:10:56,939 unlawful occupation of Palestine and 77 years since 204 00:10:56,950 --> 00:11:01,239 the mass ethnic cleansing of the Nakba began. 205 00:11:01,700 --> 00:11:04,709 An event that was in ways irrefamiliar in the present 206 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:07,269 day carried out amid massacres and destructions 207 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:11,169 that have been recounted by its victims, Nakba survivors, 208 00:11:11,180 --> 00:11:13,769 but also recorded in the testimonies of its 209 00:11:13,780 --> 00:11:16,869 perpetrators in some instances or documented in Israeli 210 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,919 archives and brought to light by diligent and 211 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:24,789 honest Israeli historians, an architect who were able to 212 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:27,489 access those archives for a brief period of time 213 00:11:27,500 --> 00:11:28,769 some 30 years ago. 214 00:11:28,769 --> 00:11:30,970 For even the most sophisticated and experienced 215 00:11:30,970 --> 00:11:33,789 practitioners of doublespeak, this truth is no longer 216 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:34,919 possible to deny. 217 00:11:34,940 --> 00:11:38,269 I just want to point to one thing and then we move into 218 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:39,779 the discussion regarding, 219 00:11:40,190 --> 00:11:43,520 I mean, the topic of today, genocide. 220 00:11:43,940 --> 00:11:47,489 In July 2024, the International Court of Justice 221 00:11:47,500 --> 00:11:50,809 has recognised beyond any reasonable doubt that 222 00:11:50,820 --> 00:11:53,239 the occupation that Israel maintained in Gaza, 223 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:55,980 the West Bank, and East Jerusalem is unlawful 224 00:11:56,100 --> 00:11:59,299 and must be relinquished totally and unconditionally. 225 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:01,849 The troops, the military barracks, the military 226 00:12:01,860 --> 00:12:03,909 presence, but also the civilian presence, 227 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:06,239 all the settlements must be dismantled. 228 00:12:06,660 --> 00:12:09,629 Which doesn't mean that there will be an uprooting 229 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:14,549 of all Jewish people living in the occupied Palestinian 230 00:12:14,560 --> 00:12:17,539 territory, but the land is to be returned to their owners. 231 00:12:17,540 --> 00:12:20,469 and perhaps the Jewish Israelis who are there may 232 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:23,329 want to rent instead of stealing and living as 233 00:12:23,340 --> 00:12:26,492 Palestinians if there is a Palestinian state. 234 00:12:26,652 --> 00:12:29,935 [Crowd cheers] 235 00:12:30,060 --> 00:12:31,803 And this is not even new. 236 00:12:32,260 --> 00:12:33,899 This is not even new. 237 00:12:34,380 --> 00:12:37,349 Everyone knew that the occupation was unlawful and 238 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:40,169 not just for violations of international law here and 239 00:12:40,180 --> 00:12:43,889 there, because Israel kidnapped children and adults including 240 00:12:43,900 --> 00:12:46,369 in the middle of the night and and put them in jail 241 00:12:46,380 --> 00:12:51,949 for days, weeks, months, and years until they confessed 242 00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:53,889 crimes that they had not committed. 243 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:58,849 And not just because of torturing, demolishing homes, 244 00:12:58,860 --> 00:13:02,219 killing people arbitrarily, no, not because of that. 245 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:06,089 The occupation is unlawful because by its very presence 246 00:13:06,100 --> 00:13:08,149 it prevents the Palestinians from enjoying 247 00:13:08,170 --> 00:13:11,775 the right of self-determination, the right to exist as a people, 248 00:13:11,830 --> 00:13:16,039 free to determine themselves as a people, which is still being contested 249 00:13:16,380 --> 00:13:19,859 and it shouldn't be confused with a two-state solution. 250 00:13:20,380 --> 00:13:24,049 Because this is the political consensus that has formed 251 00:13:24,060 --> 00:13:27,758 so that the Palestinians have the right, exclusive rights 252 00:13:27,830 --> 00:13:31,479 to a state, independent state in the land that remains. 253 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:35,989 But nonetheless, any other rights lose meanings and 254 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:38,169 becomes an exercise of intellectual rhetoric 255 00:13:38,180 --> 00:13:40,149 without the right of self-determination. 256 00:13:40,169 --> 00:13:42,909 So in the face of this groundbreaking advisory 257 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:45,499 opinion which has confirmed what everyone knew, 258 00:13:45,540 --> 00:13:48,179 it is the obligation not only of the German government, 259 00:13:48,220 --> 00:13:51,691 but every German person, including those having businesses, 260 00:13:51,780 --> 00:13:55,369 living in the settlements, working as soldiers in the Israeli 261 00:13:55,380 --> 00:13:58,279 occupation forces, not to do that anymore. 262 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:01,184 Otherwise, they might face consequences. 263 00:14:01,660 --> 00:14:03,259 And this is where we are today. 264 00:14:03,260 --> 00:14:06,809 Instead of working on this and seeing how to abide by 265 00:14:06,820 --> 00:14:11,018 this incredibly important advisory opinion, 266 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:14,349 the government of this country continues to repress 267 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:17,600 the critical voices that ask for accountability. 268 00:14:19,877 --> 00:14:31,438 [Applause] 269 00:14:31,620 --> 00:14:34,939 [Wieland] Thank you very much for those preliminary remarks. 270 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:37,189 No doubt we'll get back to some of those 271 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:39,099 points again later. 272 00:14:39,590 --> 00:14:44,389 But what I wanted to ask you about, and well, this is the 273 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:47,262 title of this part of the program: 274 00:14:47,620 --> 00:14:51,179 International Law in the Face of the Gaza Genocide. 275 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:55,129 And something that's often been spoken about over the 276 00:14:55,140 --> 00:15:00,849 last 16 months by yourself and by many actors of all sorts, 277 00:15:00,860 --> 00:15:05,422 legal experts, civil society figures, activists, 278 00:15:06,980 --> 00:15:11,709 is that the very concept of international law has been 279 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:16,469 under attack because the genocide has been allowed to 280 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:19,479 take place and measures that 281 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:25,109 have been set in motion to stop it have also not 282 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:26,423 achieved that result. 283 00:15:26,500 --> 00:15:30,409 The world has let it happen and many feel that 284 00:15:30,420 --> 00:15:39,619 international law has become impotent and even though in 285 00:15:39,630 --> 00:15:44,779 the decades since the United Nations were founded and 286 00:15:44,790 --> 00:15:47,399 we had the establishment of the Geneva Conventions 287 00:15:47,410 --> 00:15:50,190 and the various pillars of international law were built up, 288 00:15:50,190 --> 00:15:52,375 of course this is not the first time 289 00:15:52,375 --> 00:15:55,719 that a power allied with the so-called West 290 00:15:55,730 --> 00:16:00,359 has chosen not to abide by international law and recent 291 00:16:00,359 --> 00:16:03,030 decades have seen many other cases, the invasion of Iraq, 292 00:16:03,030 --> 00:16:04,613 Afghanistan, Libya, etc. 293 00:16:04,790 --> 00:16:08,309 So, how is the situation different now? 294 00:16:09,790 --> 00:16:13,779 What additional or greater damage has been done to 295 00:16:13,790 --> 00:16:17,339 international law and how does one continue to work with 296 00:16:17,350 --> 00:16:22,111 the standard of international law from now on? 297 00:16:23,590 --> 00:16:27,989 [Francesca] First of all, let me clarify a couple of things and then we 298 00:16:27,989 --> 00:16:30,620 will have the opportunity to talk about what constitutes 299 00:16:30,620 --> 00:16:32,659 genocide because there seems to be much 300 00:16:32,670 --> 00:16:34,241 confusion in this country. 301 00:16:34,310 --> 00:16:38,149 So should I say that now or can we get back to this later? 302 00:16:38,149 --> 00:16:40,346 [Wieland] I think we can get back to it later. 303 00:16:40,376 --> 00:16:42,672 [Francesca] Perfect, as long as you say that. 304 00:16:43,230 --> 00:16:47,300 And so, international law is a set of norms 305 00:16:47,300 --> 00:16:49,280 that member states have agreed upon, 306 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:52,259 either through treaties 307 00:16:52,290 --> 00:16:55,939 or that they have developed as customs, as practice, 308 00:16:55,950 --> 00:16:59,859 believed to be compliant with general principles 309 00:16:59,870 --> 00:17:01,559 of law and humanity. 310 00:17:02,070 --> 00:17:05,864 So what constitutes international law 311 00:17:05,864 --> 00:17:11,659 is a normative framework intended to prevent violations 312 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:13,068 and to correct violations. 313 00:17:13,230 --> 00:17:15,879 So it's a normative and remedial, it has a normative 314 00:17:15,890 --> 00:17:17,678 and remedial function. 315 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:24,348 Aside of it but complementary is the system that is there to 316 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:29,109 regulate the conduct of states and so it's the multilateral 317 00:17:29,120 --> 00:17:35,238 order which is to be regulated by international norms. 318 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:40,689 So while international law has been selectively applied, 319 00:17:40,860 --> 00:17:49,629 more or less systemically violated, today we see the depth of it 320 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:52,359 and we see the system behind it, I believe. 321 00:17:52,500 --> 00:17:56,536 In the sense that it's clear that the system has never, 322 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:59,549 I mean, the multilateral order, the General Assembly, 323 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:03,579 which is now more democratic than it was 77 years ago, for example. 324 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:07,489 When the United Nations system was created, it was made 325 00:18:07,500 --> 00:18:14,219 of about 50, 53 states, and now it's made of 193 states. 326 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:16,439 So clearly, it has changed. 327 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:20,219 but the center of power, it has not changed. 328 00:18:20,660 --> 00:18:27,859 The system that was birthed as dominated by the colonial world 329 00:18:27,990 --> 00:18:30,509 like Europe and European offsprings, 330 00:18:31,120 --> 00:18:37,234 like Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada, 331 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:40,809 and of course, the first colonies, the first settler colonial 332 00:18:40,820 --> 00:18:44,069 realities where so many genocides had been committed, 333 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:47,319 Latin America, Central and Latin America, sorry, 334 00:18:47,500 --> 00:18:48,599 Latin America. 335 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:51,969 I mean, these were also part of the system, 336 00:18:51,980 --> 00:18:54,109 but the center of power was with the West, 337 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:57,395 what we would call today improperly: West, and remains there. 338 00:18:57,420 --> 00:19:02,019 So I think that the phase we live in has exposed how 339 00:19:02,650 --> 00:19:09,719 unequal the system is, how it cannot serve as is the 340 00:19:09,730 --> 00:19:13,039 interest of everyone in the face of a 341 00:19:16,220 --> 00:19:23,949 fundamentally now a unipolar order, where the United States dictates 342 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:27,119 pretty much what is to be done and what's not, 343 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:31,279 regardless or even blatantly against international law. 344 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:34,359 So we are at a critical point, and the system is breaking. 345 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:40,152 When we international human rights experts have said for years, 346 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:42,709 especially this mandate, it's 20 years that 347 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:45,749 whomever has held this mandate has said over and over, 348 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:46,959 the system is breaking. 349 00:19:47,110 --> 00:19:49,769 The Occupied Palestinian Territory is a powder keg 350 00:19:49,780 --> 00:19:52,829 and it will explode and will take all the system with it because 351 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:55,969 it's a settler colonial frontier, more violent 352 00:19:55,980 --> 00:19:56,920 than any other. 353 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:00,599 It's not the only form of colonial domination, 354 00:20:00,740 --> 00:20:06,309 but it's an active settler colony where people are really struggling 355 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:09,879 for what settler colonialism is in its more brutal form. 356 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:13,609 One people taking control of land, of resources, 357 00:20:13,620 --> 00:20:14,819 pushing other people out. 358 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:19,669 Again, and it's the only one actively, actively militarily, 359 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:22,529 politically, financially supported and enabled 360 00:20:23,120 --> 00:20:24,569 by Western countries. 361 00:20:24,790 --> 00:20:30,099 So this is the breaking point because there are many people 362 00:20:30,110 --> 00:20:32,659 who identify themselves with injustice that the 363 00:20:32,670 --> 00:20:34,801 Palestinians have suffered. 364 00:20:35,030 --> 00:20:37,459 There are many people who for the first time realise 365 00:20:37,470 --> 00:20:41,839 and there is a global awareness about this 366 00:20:41,850 --> 00:20:44,159 and dissatisfaction. 367 00:20:44,430 --> 00:20:48,459 We see in the fragility and how lonely the Palestinians 368 00:20:48,470 --> 00:20:54,799 are in the face of all these powers, our own fragility, 369 00:20:54,810 --> 00:20:57,619 and this is why so many stand in solidarity 370 00:20:57,630 --> 00:20:59,139 with the Palestinians. 371 00:20:59,170 --> 00:21:01,349 On top of the fact that it's a simple empathy, 372 00:21:01,370 --> 00:21:04,820 the fact that what happens to other human beings touches us and doesn't 373 00:21:04,820 --> 00:21:07,979 I mean the fact of seeing bodies of children 374 00:21:07,990 --> 00:21:12,979 hanging from the wall or turned into smithereens 375 00:21:12,990 --> 00:21:15,779 whatever they are, incinerated in refugee camps 376 00:21:15,910 --> 00:21:19,899 or in tents, plastic tents if not buried under the rubble. 377 00:21:19,910 --> 00:21:23,755 I mean this is something that doesn't make many people sleep at night 378 00:21:23,860 --> 00:21:26,669 and it's normal, it's a good sign, it's healthy 379 00:21:27,128 --> 00:21:32,109 and we shouldn't become idle in the face of this pain. 380 00:21:32,220 --> 00:21:33,789 Yeah, so we need to decide. 381 00:21:33,970 --> 00:21:36,599 Now it's the time, we are at the turning point 382 00:21:36,610 --> 00:21:37,730 and we need to decide. 383 00:21:37,730 --> 00:21:41,159 The system, of course, will become uglier and more 384 00:21:41,170 --> 00:21:43,839 resistant and more fierceful, but because the system 385 00:21:43,850 --> 00:21:45,040 is being challenged. 386 00:21:45,430 --> 00:21:50,089 The system of which Israel's abuses are a symptom. 387 00:21:51,170 --> 00:21:53,659 And not, yeah, are a symptom. 388 00:21:54,850 --> 00:21:58,599 So this should be a wake up call for all of us 389 00:21:58,610 --> 00:22:00,279 people of conscience. 390 00:22:00,910 --> 00:22:04,529 I often say a bit rhetorically but I somewhat believe it. 391 00:22:04,690 --> 00:22:08,399 I mean in the sense it's not the case that the UN Charter 392 00:22:08,410 --> 00:22:11,979 is not just about states' obligations but it says: 393 00:22:11,990 --> 00:22:15,039 'we the people' because ultimately, it's we the people who 394 00:22:15,050 --> 00:22:18,159 are the guardians of these values, these norms. 395 00:22:18,220 --> 00:22:20,899 Human rights, I mean, I know that people complain a lot 396 00:22:20,910 --> 00:22:23,204 about international law: 'It serves no purpose.' 397 00:22:23,530 --> 00:22:25,679 Yeah, because you are not the ones who had to 398 00:22:25,690 --> 00:22:27,324 struggle to abolish slavery. 399 00:22:27,570 --> 00:22:30,159 You're not the ones who had to struggle to have women's 400 00:22:30,170 --> 00:22:32,779 rights recognised, even if I admit we still have 401 00:22:32,790 --> 00:22:33,919 a lot of work to do. 402 00:22:34,030 --> 00:22:38,919 But so, there have been so many struggles that have led to 403 00:22:38,930 --> 00:22:42,009 the development of human rights the way they are. 404 00:22:42,170 --> 00:22:46,719 So while we tend to see human rights as a tool of 405 00:22:46,730 --> 00:22:49,619 emancipation and that it's failing, I want to also 406 00:22:49,630 --> 00:22:53,303 remind you, if you take a step back and look at the arc of history 407 00:22:53,360 --> 00:22:56,679 that these human rights are first and foremost 408 00:22:56,690 --> 00:23:00,099 the result of someone else's struggle for emancipation. 409 00:23:00,270 --> 00:23:04,479 And we have grown just too lazy in this part of the world 410 00:23:04,490 --> 00:23:07,250 because you see the Palestinians, like many other people, 411 00:23:07,250 --> 00:23:09,110 they don't even have the time to think: 412 00:23:09,110 --> 00:23:10,639 shall I fight or not? 413 00:23:10,910 --> 00:23:12,449 Fight peacefully. 414 00:23:12,690 --> 00:23:15,029 I mean, because many people have no choice. 415 00:23:15,030 --> 00:23:17,719 If you have the choice, it means that you have 416 00:23:17,730 --> 00:23:20,069 privilege, that you have chosen not to use. 417 00:23:20,490 --> 00:23:22,306 And it's your choice, but trust me, 418 00:23:22,360 --> 00:23:24,089 everything is in line right now. 419 00:23:24,089 --> 00:23:24,789 It's coming. 420 00:23:24,790 --> 00:23:29,873 The way repression works in this country is scary, 421 00:23:30,210 --> 00:23:33,789 should really, should scare the hell out of people. 422 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:35,609 And the fact that you don't... 423 00:23:35,630 --> 00:23:36,934 Thank you. 424 00:23:37,324 --> 00:23:38,316 [Inaudible] 425 00:23:38,646 --> 00:23:41,009 [Audience claps] 426 00:23:41,330 --> 00:23:45,339 No, and the fact that people don't register 427 00:23:45,350 --> 00:23:46,689 how serious it is. 428 00:23:46,690 --> 00:23:52,799 The fact that media continue to be as pathetic as they are. 429 00:23:52,810 --> 00:23:55,319 Again, it's something that, I don't know, 430 00:23:55,330 --> 00:23:58,349 I'll try to help by continuing to tell what I've seen here. 431 00:23:58,570 --> 00:24:02,419 But again, I've been in many countries, including countries 432 00:24:02,430 --> 00:24:05,979 that are lectured by Germany about freedom of 433 00:24:05,990 --> 00:24:07,654 - freedom of oppression - 434 00:24:07,814 --> 00:24:11,459 [Audience laughs] 435 00:24:11,459 --> 00:24:12,200 Sorry. 436 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:13,960 [Weiland] Appropriate choice of word. 437 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:15,934 [Francesca] No, freedom of expression and 438 00:24:15,934 --> 00:24:16,859 [Audience laughs] 439 00:24:16,859 --> 00:24:17,649 freedom of... 440 00:24:17,659 --> 00:24:19,809 It was not even the worst that came out, 441 00:24:20,180 --> 00:24:23,050 the worst lapses that came out of my mouth today. 442 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:27,189 However, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, 443 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:30,569 I mean, countries that have been lectured by Germany about how 444 00:24:30,580 --> 00:24:33,789 important these rights are and who are really struggling 445 00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:35,456 to guarantee these rights. 446 00:24:35,456 --> 00:24:38,141 I mean, don't want to guarantee these rights to citizens, 447 00:24:38,141 --> 00:24:39,820 don't even make a mystery out of it. 448 00:24:39,820 --> 00:24:47,048 And still, I've experienced much less intimidation 449 00:24:47,700 --> 00:24:49,574 and fear than here. 450 00:24:49,784 --> 00:24:52,039 So I again, I'm with you 451 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:56,124 and yeah, let's brace for what happens next. 452 00:24:57,355 --> 00:25:02,515 [Appause] 453 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:06,249 [Weiland] What I want to get out a bit because I think this is also 454 00:25:06,260 --> 00:25:08,969 something that really many people in the world have been 455 00:25:08,980 --> 00:25:13,879 asking themselves or asking other people is: 456 00:25:15,340 --> 00:25:19,889 if international law wasn't able to prevent this genocide, 457 00:25:20,670 --> 00:25:25,049 if there were not the necessary mechanisms 458 00:25:25,060 --> 00:25:26,525 of enforcement 459 00:25:26,655 --> 00:25:29,729 really to stop the people who are committing it, 460 00:25:32,740 --> 00:25:34,954 what does it still offer? 461 00:25:35,344 --> 00:25:37,179 [Francesca] Yeah, so as I was saying, 462 00:25:37,230 --> 00:25:39,991 there has been a phase where human rights protection 463 00:25:39,991 --> 00:25:42,105 of individual rights was not there. 464 00:25:42,105 --> 00:25:44,669 We are lucky because we have those rights. 465 00:25:44,752 --> 00:25:47,800 Those rights also allow us to keep some sanity 466 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:49,719 and saying this is completely wrong. 467 00:25:49,750 --> 00:25:51,344 Now, there are the standards, 468 00:25:51,344 --> 00:25:53,390 there are the law enforcement mechanisms 469 00:25:53,390 --> 00:25:57,649 that in many respects have never worked for Palestine. 470 00:25:57,910 --> 00:26:01,009 Palestine has always been the big exception 471 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:04,049 and for a number of reasons. 472 00:26:04,049 --> 00:26:08,450 We don't need to unpack all the problems of the world now. 473 00:26:13,010 --> 00:26:14,275 [Wieland] Number 2? 474 00:26:14,335 --> 00:26:15,680 [Francesca] No, I'm serious. 475 00:26:15,810 --> 00:26:25,179 But the thing is that, when governments do not enforce, 476 00:26:25,190 --> 00:26:30,519 do not abide by international law, next in line is 477 00:26:30,530 --> 00:26:34,819 like watchdogs that are the civil society, NGOs are the 478 00:26:34,830 --> 00:26:37,963 natural watchdogs of what the government does, 479 00:26:38,030 --> 00:26:39,814 unless there is an ombudsman. 480 00:26:39,990 --> 00:26:43,799 There are protection mechanisms at the 481 00:26:43,810 --> 00:26:44,839 country level. 482 00:26:45,210 --> 00:26:47,419 Otherwise, there is the international... 483 00:26:47,430 --> 00:26:49,669 No, there are the courts, tribunals. 484 00:26:49,810 --> 00:26:52,289 In fact, in other countries, these are working. 485 00:26:52,470 --> 00:26:55,439 These are mechanisms that have been activated through 486 00:26:55,450 --> 00:26:58,599 strategic litigation of civil society who have sued the 487 00:26:58,610 --> 00:27:02,619 government for complicity in crimes and for transferring 488 00:27:02,630 --> 00:27:03,869 weapons to Israel 489 00:27:03,869 --> 00:27:05,751 at the time, it was committing genocide. 490 00:27:05,751 --> 00:27:10,099 and I hope more and more there needs to be scrutiny of what 491 00:27:10,110 --> 00:27:18,579 universities, pension funds, banks, and any other private actors 492 00:27:18,620 --> 00:27:22,739 who contributes in any possible ways, big or small, 493 00:27:22,750 --> 00:27:27,180 to the unlawfulness of Israel's presence 494 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:29,229 in the occupied Palestinian territory, 495 00:27:29,300 --> 00:27:31,093 they must be held accountable. 496 00:27:31,510 --> 00:27:34,339 And you know, in a country like that, that is not easy, 497 00:27:34,350 --> 00:27:36,879 because I hear that this is something that has been 498 00:27:36,890 --> 00:27:40,869 tried already and there has been a bit of pushback. 499 00:27:41,010 --> 00:27:44,119 I hope it's not the case because really I had, again 500 00:27:44,130 --> 00:27:47,019 I'm someone who has grown a thinking of Germany as an 501 00:27:47,030 --> 00:27:49,619 example because of its legal scholars and because of 502 00:27:49,630 --> 00:27:51,469 its courageous judges. 503 00:27:51,810 --> 00:27:54,959 I'm not in again, studying Palestinian refugees 504 00:27:54,970 --> 00:27:57,799 in international law writing a book about 505 00:27:57,810 --> 00:27:59,789 Palestinian refugees in international law. 506 00:27:59,789 --> 00:28:02,352 I would like to remind that it was German courts which 507 00:28:02,352 --> 00:28:05,339 allowed to develop the jurisprudence that has 508 00:28:05,350 --> 00:28:08,799 existed on how to protect Palestinian refugees 509 00:28:08,810 --> 00:28:11,289 outside the Middle East. 510 00:28:11,510 --> 00:28:14,649 So even in Germany, it has never been that bad. 511 00:28:15,010 --> 00:28:18,009 You can still go back to a place of sanity. 512 00:28:18,450 --> 00:28:21,669 So courts have to be activated, but also 513 00:28:23,289 --> 00:28:28,423 certain struggles are not brought to court, 514 00:28:28,754 --> 00:28:32,799 cannot not be fought 515 00:28:32,884 --> 00:28:36,804 without the - peacefully fought of course - 516 00:28:36,930 --> 00:28:39,529 without the support of the public opinion. 517 00:28:40,050 --> 00:28:43,220 Because eventually judges also read newspapers. 518 00:28:43,630 --> 00:28:46,429 And the problem is if the debate is so toxic, 519 00:28:46,660 --> 00:28:50,079 if the media's work is primarily not about telling the facts 520 00:28:50,090 --> 00:28:52,659 let alone the legal qualifications, 521 00:28:52,730 --> 00:28:59,729 but about manufacturing consensus so as to maintain a certain narrative 522 00:28:59,790 --> 00:29:01,299 a certain discourse, 523 00:29:01,310 --> 00:29:02,783 it's very complicated. 524 00:29:03,090 --> 00:29:07,999 So what is left is there are international mechanisms 525 00:29:08,010 --> 00:29:10,657 that scrutinise the performance of states, 526 00:29:10,657 --> 00:29:15,189 but again, I'm not starry-eyed on this. 527 00:29:15,330 --> 00:29:19,219 Right now, it sounds like an emergency, 528 00:29:19,230 --> 00:29:23,625 and in time of emergency, you don't go into a long-term plan, 529 00:29:23,690 --> 00:29:24,999 if you see what I mean. 530 00:29:24,999 --> 00:29:27,759 So I do think that most of the work is to be done, 531 00:29:27,770 --> 00:29:31,919 of course, internationally, eliciting solidarity from others, 532 00:29:31,930 --> 00:29:35,519 eliciting scrutiny, because there is, again, 533 00:29:35,530 --> 00:29:38,659 there is a sense that in Germany, things are bad, 534 00:29:39,730 --> 00:29:44,979 but now, I can tell you, if I'm shocked, if I'm that shocked 535 00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:47,409 I can tell you, there is no real understanding 536 00:29:47,409 --> 00:29:49,191 of what's going on in this country, 537 00:29:49,230 --> 00:29:52,646 and I'm afraid that this will continue to spread. 538 00:29:53,740 --> 00:29:56,829 So, yeah, many more people should talk about that, 539 00:29:56,829 --> 00:29:59,329 many more people should ask your government questions 540 00:29:59,340 --> 00:30:01,989 and the subsequent government questions. 541 00:30:02,180 --> 00:30:06,169 So it's a struggle that needs to be continued 542 00:30:06,180 --> 00:30:09,642 on a multi-fronts level. 543 00:30:10,180 --> 00:30:11,824 [Wieland] You said it's about... 544 00:30:11,864 --> 00:30:14,160 [Francesca] Just one second, by the way, the ICJ 545 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:16,489 and the ICC, because then it seems that nothing 546 00:30:16,500 --> 00:30:18,380 is happening at the international level. 547 00:30:18,380 --> 00:30:21,219 While international justice is very slow, it's moving. 548 00:30:21,220 --> 00:30:23,549 I mean, for the first time, and it would have been 549 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:28,519 unimaginable years ago, where in this country, 550 00:30:28,540 --> 00:30:31,829 like many other, including my country, was even impossible to say 551 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:38,039 apartheid, let alone genocide, and despite the difficulties, 552 00:30:38,260 --> 00:30:43,989 now, the ICC has indicted two Israeli leaders, one active, 553 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:48,189 the prime minister, and the other, the former minister of defense 554 00:30:48,260 --> 00:30:50,509 so they are wanted by the ICC, and hopefully, 555 00:30:50,520 --> 00:30:52,422 I think that there should be many more, 556 00:30:52,422 --> 00:30:55,779 because the colonisation has been ongoing for a long time. 557 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:59,809 And the International Court of Justice is looking at 558 00:31:00,390 --> 00:31:03,039 genocide in two cases. 559 00:31:03,260 --> 00:31:05,689 Genocide in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, 560 00:31:05,700 --> 00:31:10,849 both in the case initiated by South Africa versus Germany, sorry, 561 00:31:10,860 --> 00:31:14,709 Israel, and, sorry guys, I am on two hours sleep, 562 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:18,929 so be patient, and I was quite sleep-deprived, 563 00:31:18,940 --> 00:31:21,819 and Nicaragua versus Germany. 564 00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:25,609 So your country is brought before an international 565 00:31:25,620 --> 00:31:28,529 court of justice because of its support to 566 00:31:28,540 --> 00:31:30,101 the genocide in Gaza. 567 00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:34,209 [Wieland] You actually just mentioned the ICC warrants, 568 00:31:34,220 --> 00:31:35,929 which I wanted to ask you about. 569 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:41,379 On January 27th, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, 570 00:31:41,390 --> 00:31:44,759 originally there was a plan for Netanyahu 571 00:31:44,770 --> 00:31:48,839 to go to Auschwitz for a commemoration celebration. 572 00:31:50,710 --> 00:31:56,334 And in the end he didn't, a junior member of government went 573 00:31:57,959 --> 00:32:01,379 but there was obviously much controversy about it, 574 00:32:01,390 --> 00:32:05,559 and the Polish government said quite brazenly that 575 00:32:05,570 --> 00:32:07,049 they would allow him to come. 576 00:32:07,130 --> 00:32:09,029 They would not enforce the warrant. 577 00:32:09,950 --> 00:32:11,925 It wasn't put to the test in the end, 578 00:32:11,925 --> 00:32:14,568 but that's what they said in front of the whole world. 579 00:32:14,748 --> 00:32:21,844 The other week, the unfortunately most likely next chancellor 580 00:32:21,970 --> 00:32:25,498 in this country, Friedrich Merz, conservative leader 581 00:32:26,270 --> 00:32:31,859 said that if there was a plan for Netanyahu to come 582 00:32:31,870 --> 00:32:34,920 to Germany, then of course he would not be arrested, 583 00:32:35,830 --> 00:32:38,479 that these warrants mean nothing. 584 00:32:39,509 --> 00:32:42,649 Now, of course, one could say this is all hot air, 585 00:32:42,660 --> 00:32:45,479 but what could be done? 586 00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:46,569 What would happen? 587 00:32:47,020 --> 00:32:51,229 [Francesca] Well, you see, without even bothering international law, 588 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:56,029 is it normal that someone who is not even in function yet 589 00:32:56,040 --> 00:33:01,889 or might have governmental function steps into the realm 590 00:33:01,900 --> 00:33:05,019 of competence that belongs to the justice system? 591 00:33:05,020 --> 00:33:08,449 It's not up to government officials to say whether 592 00:33:08,460 --> 00:33:13,929 someone will be arrested or not, based on the 593 00:33:13,940 --> 00:33:16,409 determination, on an investigation that has 594 00:33:16,420 --> 00:33:19,719 been carried out by the International Criminal Court. 595 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:23,669 I mean, you see, we are completely dismantling 596 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:27,432 the system that we have so hardly... 597 00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:31,289 I mean, with so much sacrifice and political 598 00:33:31,300 --> 00:33:32,659 investment built. 599 00:33:33,150 --> 00:33:34,179 Out of what? 600 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:35,880 Seriously, out of what? 601 00:33:35,940 --> 00:33:43,149 Like, this alliance among politicians who tend 602 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:46,949 to protect each other when one commits crimes 603 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:49,805 and end up committing crimes all together. 604 00:33:50,450 --> 00:33:52,139 Now I'm getting arrested, yeah. 605 00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:55,019 In south of Italy has a very specific name. 606 00:33:56,330 --> 00:33:57,936 I'm not going to say that. 607 00:33:58,510 --> 00:34:01,189 But this is not normal. 608 00:34:01,650 --> 00:34:05,759 This is non-normal, the intimidation against human 609 00:34:05,770 --> 00:34:09,438 rights defenders, lawyers, scholars, the pressure in 610 00:34:09,449 --> 00:34:13,178 university in order not to have an honest debate, 611 00:34:13,190 --> 00:34:18,566 frankly, about 60,000 people plus that have been killed 612 00:34:21,260 --> 00:34:25,108 without, again, without denying that crimes have been 613 00:34:25,120 --> 00:34:28,148 committed against Israelis, absolutely, no one 614 00:34:28,159 --> 00:34:29,500 has ever denied that, 615 00:34:29,500 --> 00:34:32,329 I have been condemning crimes against civilians because 616 00:34:32,340 --> 00:34:34,788 my red line is that a civilian is a civilian, 617 00:34:34,788 --> 00:34:35,980 and so it's untouchable. 618 00:34:35,980 --> 00:34:39,789 It's the responsibility of the government and of the states 619 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:41,176 to respond for crimes. 620 00:34:41,176 --> 00:34:43,560 But here's the responsibility of Germany as well. 621 00:34:43,560 --> 00:34:45,307 What is left to the Palestinians? 622 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:47,948 What is left to the Palestinians not to be 623 00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:50,264 erased in the little that remains of their land? 624 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:52,708 The guardians of the self-determination 625 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:55,138 of the Palestinians are member states. 626 00:34:55,518 --> 00:34:56,787 [Applause] 627 00:34:57,350 --> 00:35:06,397 What has Germany done throughout 2023 when 12 pogroms, 628 00:35:06,580 --> 00:35:10,438 according to how they have been defined by many, 629 00:35:10,450 --> 00:35:13,079 including in Israel, have been carried out against 630 00:35:13,090 --> 00:35:18,278 defenseless Palestinian villages by violent, armed, 631 00:35:18,290 --> 00:35:22,559 ideological settlers, escorted, as usual, 632 00:35:22,570 --> 00:35:24,199 by the Israeli army. 633 00:35:25,230 --> 00:35:30,619 And again, homes and cars and other possessions have been 634 00:35:30,630 --> 00:35:34,559 incinerated and so orchards, and Palestinians have been 635 00:35:34,570 --> 00:35:36,309 beaten up and terrorized. 636 00:35:36,720 --> 00:35:37,869 Where was Germany? 637 00:35:37,890 --> 00:35:41,139 And Germany knows, not because necessarily your government 638 00:35:41,150 --> 00:35:43,478 has to read the human rights reports, 639 00:35:43,490 --> 00:35:47,921 but because it has a diplomatic presence in the 640 00:35:47,921 --> 00:35:49,410 occupied Palestinian territory. 641 00:35:49,410 --> 00:35:51,809 And everyone knows what's going on in the 642 00:35:51,809 --> 00:35:53,290 occupied Palestinian territory. 643 00:35:53,290 --> 00:35:56,579 And everyone knows the crimes that Israel has been committed 644 00:35:56,590 --> 00:35:58,489 with impunity for decades. 645 00:35:58,890 --> 00:36:04,318 So the Palestinians have been persecuted, abused, oppressed, 646 00:36:04,330 --> 00:36:09,568 killed, blamed, smeared, and in the face of this we 647 00:36:09,580 --> 00:36:10,959 cannot even talk about that? 648 00:36:11,780 --> 00:36:13,629 I mean, again, this is not my problem. 649 00:36:13,760 --> 00:36:17,429 I mean, thank God that I'm not that sensitive that 650 00:36:17,440 --> 00:36:19,419 someone cancels it. 651 00:36:21,520 --> 00:36:26,749 And again, I talk, and I take it personally, I said: As long 652 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:30,469 as they pay the hotel room for which they invited me. 653 00:36:30,569 --> 00:36:31,608 That's fine. 654 00:36:32,530 --> 00:36:33,907 The problem is yours. 655 00:36:34,290 --> 00:36:36,719 This is the country you live in and your fellow 656 00:36:36,730 --> 00:36:38,078 citizens live in. 657 00:36:38,290 --> 00:36:40,824 So, and it's very serious. 658 00:36:41,470 --> 00:36:42,839 [Wieland] Certainly is. 659 00:36:43,640 --> 00:36:44,625 Thank you. 660 00:36:44,752 --> 00:36:51,077 [Applause] 661 00:36:51,170 --> 00:36:54,458 I'm just looking a bit at the time and we wanted to 662 00:36:54,470 --> 00:36:57,049 give a bit of space for people to ask questions. 663 00:36:57,550 --> 00:37:00,099 No doubt there'll be many questions and not every 664 00:37:00,110 --> 00:37:01,969 question can be taken. 665 00:37:01,970 --> 00:37:07,418 But you said that you also wanted to share some points 666 00:37:07,430 --> 00:37:08,909 about genocide earlier. 667 00:37:09,130 --> 00:37:11,765 [Francesca] Yes, very briefly, as much as I can. 668 00:37:12,490 --> 00:37:17,478 Because it's very important to remind ourselves of what 669 00:37:17,490 --> 00:37:22,569 genocide is and what the risk of genocide triggers. 670 00:37:22,710 --> 00:37:24,815 It's very important in this country, 671 00:37:25,670 --> 00:37:31,298 because it's genocide is not defined by personal 672 00:37:31,310 --> 00:37:33,978 opinions and personal histories no matter how 673 00:37:33,990 --> 00:37:38,358 painful they are and there is no question, no question that 674 00:37:39,190 --> 00:37:43,796 Germany has a lot to atone for for the genocides it has committed. 675 00:37:44,020 --> 00:37:48,479 And at the same time, genocide today, 676 00:37:48,555 --> 00:37:50,509 what constitutes genocide 677 00:37:50,540 --> 00:37:53,745 is written in an international treaty. 678 00:37:54,130 --> 00:37:57,338 What constitutes genocide is acts of killing against the 679 00:37:57,350 --> 00:38:01,778 members of a group, infliction of severe mental or physical 680 00:38:01,790 --> 00:38:04,478 harm to members of the group, the creation of conditions 681 00:38:04,490 --> 00:38:08,458 of life calculated to lead to the physical destruction 682 00:38:08,470 --> 00:38:15,318 of members of the group and prevent, thank you, 683 00:38:15,330 --> 00:38:17,589 prevention of birth and 684 00:38:17,590 --> 00:38:19,414 the transfer of children. 685 00:38:19,894 --> 00:38:25,898 So you see, I hear criticism like in the UK, 686 00:38:25,910 --> 00:38:27,980 for example, look at the numbers of killing 687 00:38:27,980 --> 00:38:30,707 as killing 70,000 people was not bad. 688 00:38:31,470 --> 00:38:34,499 Again, I often ask myself, what kind of monsters 689 00:38:34,510 --> 00:38:35,732 have we become? 690 00:38:36,030 --> 00:38:41,039 But also the brutality of the attack, the way everything has 691 00:38:41,050 --> 00:38:44,828 been destroyed, in a way, as we will have the chance to talk 692 00:38:46,370 --> 00:38:49,938 in a way that has led to conditions calculated to 693 00:38:49,950 --> 00:38:51,762 destroy the Palestinians. 694 00:38:51,782 --> 00:38:54,019 But the thing is that in order to have genocide, 695 00:38:54,030 --> 00:38:56,049 it's not sufficient to commit these crimes. 696 00:38:56,070 --> 00:38:59,599 The crimes have to be committed with intent, 697 00:38:59,610 --> 00:39:04,363 with the determination to destroy the group as such. 698 00:39:05,050 --> 00:39:09,569 And people say it's very difficult to prove intent. 699 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:10,959 Yes, you know why? 700 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:13,830 Because it's very difficult to commit, I mean, it's difficult 701 00:39:13,830 --> 00:39:16,630 to prove genocide because it should be difficult to commit 702 00:39:16,630 --> 00:39:19,861 genocide in 2024 or in 2025. 703 00:39:20,980 --> 00:39:23,738 It shouldn't be possible because in the system, 704 00:39:23,850 --> 00:39:27,708 there are some check and balances in a system that calls itself 705 00:39:27,720 --> 00:39:30,869 democratic where there is a rule of law system 706 00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:32,529 with the separation of power. 707 00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:35,849 I mean, you might have crazy government officials making 708 00:39:35,860 --> 00:39:38,729 genocidal incitements and say: starve them all, 709 00:39:38,850 --> 00:39:44,453 kill them all, they are all animals, even the kids. 710 00:39:44,860 --> 00:39:47,409 I mean, Germany is not the first time where this has 711 00:39:47,420 --> 00:39:50,588 happened because I've read the Nuremberg Trials Act 712 00:39:50,600 --> 00:39:53,309 and children were seen as a security threat. 713 00:39:55,670 --> 00:39:58,758 But there might be, there might be, 714 00:39:59,310 --> 00:40:02,099 I mean, cabinet, war cabinet ministers saying that. 715 00:40:02,240 --> 00:40:06,749 And then, what are the other cabinet ministers doing 716 00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:08,280 in the face of this? 717 00:40:08,350 --> 00:40:12,909 What are the MPs, the members of the Knesset, what have they 718 00:40:12,920 --> 00:40:17,910 done to intervene, to stop this, this incitement? 719 00:40:18,620 --> 00:40:21,749 What has the judiciary done when the International Court 720 00:40:21,760 --> 00:40:25,389 of Justice recognised the risk of genocide, ordered Israel to 721 00:40:25,400 --> 00:40:31,068 take measures to stop carrying out its military operations 722 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:34,119 in a way that could result in genocidal attacks, 723 00:40:34,190 --> 00:40:39,413 as it had been doing, and had Israel complied 724 00:40:39,490 --> 00:40:41,559 with the ICJ provisional measures 725 00:40:41,560 --> 00:40:45,604 of January 2024, we wouldn't be here today, probably. 726 00:40:46,020 --> 00:40:48,859 And what has the judiciary done? 727 00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:52,168 Has the judiciary in Israel investigated any of the 728 00:40:52,180 --> 00:40:56,779 people, senior officials of Israel who have been named 729 00:40:56,820 --> 00:41:02,269 in the provisional measures, in the text of the court that 730 00:41:02,280 --> 00:41:05,949 accompanied in the provisional measures, that system has 731 00:41:05,960 --> 00:41:10,249 proven that being a reflex of the enabling environment 732 00:41:10,260 --> 00:41:12,449 that Israel as a state was. 733 00:41:13,500 --> 00:41:15,890 And the intent has been, it's not even that we need 734 00:41:15,890 --> 00:41:18,999 to dig to find intent, there is direct intent. 735 00:41:19,260 --> 00:41:24,208 Because when Netanyahu and others have ordered, again, 736 00:41:24,220 --> 00:41:29,849 starvation, no water, no fuel, no electricity, 737 00:41:29,860 --> 00:41:33,319 no food, no food. 738 00:41:34,140 --> 00:41:38,889 Of course, this would lead to conditions calculated to 739 00:41:38,900 --> 00:41:43,088 bring about the destruction of a group or members 740 00:41:43,100 --> 00:41:45,919 of the group as such identified as Palestinians. 741 00:41:46,160 --> 00:41:49,148 So in the face of this, there should have been an 742 00:41:49,160 --> 00:41:52,028 obligation, as I said, to prevent because the convention 743 00:41:52,040 --> 00:41:58,188 on genocide is not just about the punishment of 744 00:41:58,200 --> 00:41:59,357 the crime of genocide. 745 00:41:59,357 --> 00:42:03,588 creates for each state, especially influential 746 00:42:03,600 --> 00:42:06,369 states who are providing support, an obligation 747 00:42:06,380 --> 00:42:08,339 to prevent and stop. 748 00:42:08,620 --> 00:42:13,628 And again, in April 2024, in Nicaragua versus Germany, 749 00:42:13,640 --> 00:42:16,688 the court reminded Germany and other member states to 750 00:42:16,700 --> 00:42:20,688 intervene by not transferring weapons to states who might be 751 00:42:20,700 --> 00:42:23,929 committing not just genocidal acts, but violations of 752 00:42:23,940 --> 00:42:26,939 international humanitarian law, including war crimes. 753 00:42:26,940 --> 00:42:31,939 So the killing of 17 ,000 children, what is it? 754 00:42:32,040 --> 00:42:35,199 This is what journalists should ask your Chancellor. 755 00:42:35,560 --> 00:42:37,969 Because again, it's not about his personal opinion, 756 00:42:37,980 --> 00:42:39,319 which I respect very much. 757 00:42:39,920 --> 00:42:44,088 But it doesn't respond to this question out of personal 758 00:42:44,100 --> 00:42:45,359 commitment, I imagine. 759 00:42:45,520 --> 00:42:48,300 But as the chancellor of this country, which has obligation 760 00:42:48,300 --> 00:42:49,469 under international law. 761 00:42:49,660 --> 00:42:55,068 And the way Germany is evading its obligations and acting 762 00:42:55,080 --> 00:42:57,829 in a way that is prohibited under international 763 00:42:57,840 --> 00:43:00,659 law cannot be hidden. 764 00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:02,365 This is the reality. 765 00:43:03,280 --> 00:43:06,789 That's an appropriate note to end on before we open 766 00:43:06,800 --> 00:43:07,880 it up to the audience. 767 00:43:07,880 --> 00:43:10,608 We are representatives of Students for Palestine, FU, 768 00:43:10,620 --> 00:43:14,449 and also students from the not-so-free university here 769 00:43:14,460 --> 00:43:17,969 in Berlin that cancelled your event tomorrow, so we 770 00:43:17,980 --> 00:43:20,468 are very happy to see you and to ask our questions. 771 00:43:20,468 --> 00:43:23,528 In a recent viral video, you rightfully criticized 772 00:43:23,540 --> 00:43:26,099 the German state and the situation this country is in. 773 00:43:26,500 --> 00:43:29,349 You are also aware of the protests and the repression 774 00:43:29,360 --> 00:43:30,399 we are experiencing. 775 00:43:30,860 --> 00:43:33,210 Our question would be, how can we stand up against 776 00:43:33,210 --> 00:43:36,929 such state repression, and who can we trust when 777 00:43:36,940 --> 00:43:38,185 it comes to our rights? 778 00:43:38,620 --> 00:43:41,048 I mean, we are protesting and boycotting, but 779 00:43:41,060 --> 00:43:42,399 what else can we do? 780 00:43:42,400 --> 00:43:47,088 Maybe you are aware of this, I think we tried to convey a 781 00:43:47,100 --> 00:43:51,989 very comprehensive report on the collaborations of Freie 782 00:43:52,000 --> 00:43:56,309 Universität with a series of Israeli institutions and 783 00:43:56,320 --> 00:44:00,108 universities which we think are in very clear breach 784 00:44:00,120 --> 00:44:03,559 of international law and morality as such too. 785 00:44:03,780 --> 00:44:07,389 To give one example, the Freie Universität is sending its 786 00:44:07,400 --> 00:44:10,028 students very often without the knowledge where it's 787 00:44:10,040 --> 00:44:12,880 specifically sending and what kind of situation it's sending 788 00:44:12,880 --> 00:44:16,608 these students to exchange programs for example with the 789 00:44:16,620 --> 00:44:20,048 Hebrew University which has its students hostels in East 790 00:44:20,060 --> 00:44:22,499 Jerusalem on which we think is 791 00:44:22,500 --> 00:44:27,329 an equal illegal settlement and we would like if you could say 792 00:44:27,340 --> 00:44:31,869 a few words on what you think are the obligations of German 793 00:44:31,880 --> 00:44:35,399 universities, in particular FU regarding such cases. 794 00:44:35,620 --> 00:44:38,608 We also would like to forward a question for later to Eyal 795 00:44:38,620 --> 00:44:43,329 already, what he thinks, as a scholar originally from 796 00:44:43,340 --> 00:44:47,249 Israel, what the political impact of such campaigns 797 00:44:47,260 --> 00:44:50,369 is also in order to break the normalisation of 798 00:44:50,380 --> 00:44:51,859 occupation and apartheid. 799 00:44:52,660 --> 00:44:57,068 And to give another example on this, the university's law 800 00:44:57,080 --> 00:45:01,548 faculty, where I am a student at currently, has a couple of 801 00:45:01,560 --> 00:45:04,648 programs running, but one of them is called, Human Rights 802 00:45:04,660 --> 00:45:08,708 Under Pressure, and it advertises with experiencing 803 00:45:08,720 --> 00:45:12,188 and researching these human rights under pressure 804 00:45:12,200 --> 00:45:13,539 in the field, and is 805 00:45:13,540 --> 00:45:19,048 sending programs very often to Israel and the occupied 806 00:45:19,060 --> 00:45:22,648 territories, and as I think Francesca has been made 807 00:45:22,660 --> 00:45:26,249 aware of by a letter that FU professors from the law 808 00:45:26,260 --> 00:45:32,289 department wrote, yeah, it is, you know, this normalisation 809 00:45:32,300 --> 00:45:34,759 is happening through these kinds of corporations. 810 00:45:35,280 --> 00:45:38,068 Anyways, thanks for your attention, we will probably 811 00:45:38,080 --> 00:45:47,309 tomorrow upload the report on bds-fu.de, bds-fu.de, 812 00:45:47,320 --> 00:45:50,839 and try to support the campaign if you want to. 813 00:45:51,744 --> 00:45:56,654 [Applause] 814 00:45:56,710 --> 00:46:00,378 I would also like to really beg for your indulgence in the 815 00:46:00,390 --> 00:46:04,099 sense that, after all, I mean, I'm very happy to be received 816 00:46:04,110 --> 00:46:10,159 by so much warmth and expectations, but also I would 817 00:46:10,170 --> 00:46:13,679 like you to keep realistic expectations on what 818 00:46:13,690 --> 00:46:15,669 can come from me, in the sense I'm really 819 00:46:15,670 --> 00:46:18,478 just a human rights lawyer who's trying to do the right 820 00:46:18,490 --> 00:46:22,219 thing, no more than that, and I'm sorry that it's a rare 821 00:46:22,230 --> 00:46:26,278 commodity in this era, but I don't know, sometimes I 822 00:46:26,290 --> 00:46:30,499 just don't know, because let me tell you, I think that 823 00:46:30,510 --> 00:46:33,349 what the universities are doing is wrong. 824 00:46:34,030 --> 00:46:36,709 It's so wrong that it should be brought to justice. 825 00:46:37,310 --> 00:46:41,099 University cannot have partnerships with anything 826 00:46:41,110 --> 00:46:43,429 that has to do with the settlements. 827 00:46:43,790 --> 00:46:46,378 Cannot have partnership, but really we are being 828 00:46:46,390 --> 00:46:50,039 conservative here because at the time of apartheid South 829 00:46:50,050 --> 00:46:54,199 Africa, it's not that we were going to see how to establish 830 00:46:54,210 --> 00:46:57,818 or cut relations with Israel just in the limit of the 831 00:46:57,830 --> 00:47:01,938 Bantustan, where South Africa was segregating 832 00:47:01,950 --> 00:47:04,299 the black South Africans. 833 00:47:04,370 --> 00:47:07,579 I mean, if Israel commits crimes that should lead to 834 00:47:07,590 --> 00:47:12,019 accountability and justice 360 degrees, so I'm even 835 00:47:12,030 --> 00:47:16,219 uncomfortable as a lawyer to have to split the hair and 836 00:47:16,230 --> 00:47:18,509 say the settlements and not the settlements. 837 00:47:18,790 --> 00:47:21,958 Maya Wind, an Israeli scholar, has done incredible work 838 00:47:21,970 --> 00:47:23,769 on the responsibility of universities. 839 00:47:23,770 --> 00:47:27,938 As such, Israeli universities explaining why it's wrong 840 00:47:27,950 --> 00:47:32,458 today, in 2025, to maintain partnership with Israeli 841 00:47:32,470 --> 00:47:36,958 universities who are part of Israel's infrastructure, 842 00:47:36,970 --> 00:47:41,499 military and surveillance and oppression infrastructure 843 00:47:41,510 --> 00:47:42,899 vis-a-vis the Palestinians. 844 00:47:43,270 --> 00:47:47,719 So not having ties, not having relations, not having 845 00:47:47,730 --> 00:47:51,159 partnerships, not sending students to things that 846 00:47:51,170 --> 00:47:55,239 have to do with the occupied Palestinian territory should 847 00:47:55,250 --> 00:47:59,239 be the minimum bearable for a university to keep on calling 848 00:47:59,250 --> 00:48:01,589 itself free, if freedom calls. 849 00:48:07,840 --> 00:48:12,789 That, by the way, I really object that the university 850 00:48:12,800 --> 00:48:16,519 keeps on having the name free after cancelling me and Eyal. 851 00:48:17,999 --> 00:48:25,539 [Applause] 852 00:48:25,980 --> 00:48:27,179 What can you do? 853 00:48:27,180 --> 00:48:31,728 You should really try to work as much as possible 854 00:48:31,740 --> 00:48:34,499 in solidarity with others. 855 00:48:34,660 --> 00:48:38,508 Because if one thing I've learned by myself, is that 856 00:48:38,520 --> 00:48:40,839 unity brings strength. 857 00:48:41,660 --> 00:48:44,269 And I understand that especially, I don't know 858 00:48:44,280 --> 00:48:48,228 if this is unique to the Palestine Solidarity Movement, 859 00:48:48,240 --> 00:48:51,369 but there is a little bit of snobbish attitude, to draw, 860 00:48:51,380 --> 00:48:53,449 I agree with this, but then it doesn't agree 861 00:48:53,460 --> 00:48:54,699 with everything I say. 862 00:48:55,500 --> 00:48:59,068 Can you be minimalist for once and agree on a few points 863 00:48:59,080 --> 00:49:01,909 like end the genocide, end the occupation, and end 864 00:49:01,920 --> 00:49:03,259 apartheid, and then, 865 00:49:03,514 --> 00:49:10,784 [Applause] 866 00:49:10,890 --> 00:49:14,719 let's say, because in time, in south of Italy, I come from 867 00:49:14,730 --> 00:49:18,338 a region of peasants, so we have a very simple way of 868 00:49:18,350 --> 00:49:23,219 understanding life in a way, and say "in time of deluge, 869 00:49:23,230 --> 00:49:24,489 all arms are needed". 870 00:49:24,490 --> 00:49:28,318 And this is the thing, this is a time of crisis, so all 871 00:49:28,330 --> 00:49:31,418 brains are needed, all mouth and eyes and ears are needed, 872 00:49:31,430 --> 00:49:37,478 so let's just ally along the lines of, there is a need 873 00:49:37,490 --> 00:49:41,559 for a popular front around human rights and justice, 874 00:49:41,570 --> 00:49:43,929 because what's happening in Palestine is 875 00:49:43,930 --> 00:49:48,478 not staying in Palestine, nor in Israel either, so it's, 876 00:49:48,490 --> 00:49:50,119 I mean, yeah, it's the same. 877 00:49:50,119 --> 00:49:55,318 And so this is why it's necessary to try to explore 878 00:49:55,330 --> 00:49:59,499 creatively what alliances you might need, including 879 00:49:59,510 --> 00:50:03,509 with universities outside Germany, or with scholars. 880 00:50:03,670 --> 00:50:06,436 There are a few scholars here, but there are a few scholars 881 00:50:06,436 --> 00:50:07,780 who have been speaking out. 882 00:50:07,780 --> 00:50:11,699 I mean, to be honest, Eyal and I, when former Freie 883 00:50:11,710 --> 00:50:17,318 University invited us, it was Freie University invited us, 884 00:50:17,330 --> 00:50:20,969 We received an invitation from Potsdam University. 885 00:50:21,290 --> 00:50:25,239 I cannot ensure 100 % that the event would have been, would 886 00:50:25,250 --> 00:50:28,179 have not been cancelled, but at least there was an attempt 887 00:50:28,190 --> 00:50:29,369 and we couldn't make it. 888 00:50:29,550 --> 00:50:31,709 But it was too much short notice, sorry. 889 00:50:32,290 --> 00:50:37,059 But again, this is where we need to reach out to everyone 890 00:50:37,070 --> 00:50:40,579 who's sensible enough, who has a minimum of knowledge and 891 00:50:40,590 --> 00:50:44,559 a minimum of decency, which shouldn't be too much to ask, 892 00:50:44,570 --> 00:50:48,858 so as to stand up against the injustice that is spreading 893 00:50:48,870 --> 00:50:50,190 in this country as well. 894 00:50:50,190 --> 00:50:52,659 Thank you, Francesca, for being here and for all the 895 00:50:52,670 --> 00:50:55,199 work that you have been doing for over the past year. 896 00:50:56,030 --> 00:50:59,239 So, you touched a little bit on this, and probably this is 897 00:50:59,250 --> 00:51:02,898 going to be a controversial question, but as a 898 00:51:02,910 --> 00:51:06,679 Palestinian, all these, like, international laws, human 899 00:51:06,690 --> 00:51:10,699 rights, the UN, all of these things, how we can trust 900 00:51:10,710 --> 00:51:13,599 and, like, put our trust in these concepts and 901 00:51:13,610 --> 00:51:15,249 institutions, if they 902 00:51:15,250 --> 00:51:19,499 fail to stop the genocide for the past 16 months when all 903 00:51:19,510 --> 00:51:24,079 the greater powers in the world are not following or 904 00:51:24,090 --> 00:51:29,758 like listening to or abiding by all these laws, and also 905 00:51:29,770 --> 00:51:33,499 with the veto right as well, when five superpowers can 906 00:51:33,510 --> 00:51:38,249 just veto any ceasefire or any resolution? 907 00:51:38,810 --> 00:51:41,559 I'm not going to answer that question because the point 908 00:51:41,570 --> 00:51:43,467 is not that you should trust the system. 909 00:51:43,467 --> 00:51:44,909 You shouldn't trust the system. 910 00:51:45,390 --> 00:51:51,169 You shouldn't expect the system to give you anything. 911 00:51:51,750 --> 00:51:54,398 Because again, what the Palestinians have got 912 00:51:54,410 --> 00:51:57,049 is something that the Palestinians had to fight for. 913 00:51:57,690 --> 00:52:00,609 And it's not that the Palestinians are exceptional. 914 00:52:00,930 --> 00:52:03,659 This epitomises the struggle of any 915 00:52:03,670 --> 00:52:05,089 minorities in this world. 916 00:52:06,110 --> 00:52:10,818 And again, so you need really to count on all possible 917 00:52:10,830 --> 00:52:12,389 forces and alliances. 918 00:52:12,390 --> 00:52:16,309 for example, not everything in the United Nations is bad. 919 00:52:17,119 --> 00:52:18,559 No one is saying that 920 00:52:19,410 --> 00:52:20,170 Ah. 921 00:52:20,170 --> 00:52:21,220 I'm joking. 922 00:52:21,220 --> 00:52:22,010 No, no. 923 00:52:22,010 --> 00:52:25,278 But I want to say, I want to say that there have been 924 00:52:25,290 --> 00:52:27,549 30 special rapporteurs. 925 00:52:27,630 --> 00:52:31,429 Now you see me, but there has been 30 special rapporteurs. 926 00:52:31,550 --> 00:52:36,079 And while the struggle and the attacks against me are known, 927 00:52:36,090 --> 00:52:40,978 many others have not even that visibility to complain 928 00:52:40,990 --> 00:52:42,409 or to elicit solidarity. 929 00:52:42,410 --> 00:52:46,239 So it's really about supporting each other and from 930 00:52:46,250 --> 00:52:49,709 the different walks of life we come from, etc, etc. 931 00:52:49,870 --> 00:52:54,278 So the thing is that there is also some difficulty in 932 00:52:54,290 --> 00:53:00,938 exploring how to build these alliances, because we are more 933 00:53:00,950 --> 00:53:02,669 fragile in these societies. 934 00:53:02,930 --> 00:53:05,449 We are not, you see, even grieving together. 935 00:53:05,590 --> 00:53:08,898 Why my lectures have become a place where 936 00:53:08,910 --> 00:53:09,989 people come and cry? 937 00:53:09,990 --> 00:53:13,458 Because in our societies, there is no, we are not 938 00:53:13,470 --> 00:53:17,049 afforded the luxury of places for collective grief. 939 00:53:18,210 --> 00:53:21,458 And where we can also talk about what we have gone 940 00:53:21,470 --> 00:53:26,179 through, we can check on each other and have the courage to 941 00:53:26,190 --> 00:53:29,298 look into each other's eyes and say, it's okay, it's okay 942 00:53:29,310 --> 00:53:32,758 to cry, it's okay to feel crazy, it's okay to be scared 943 00:53:32,770 --> 00:53:34,905 and to carry fear, 944 00:53:34,905 --> 00:53:35,929 it's okay. 945 00:53:35,929 --> 00:53:42,179 And even rage, and even wanting to express oneself in 946 00:53:42,190 --> 00:53:46,099 ways that are not necessarily compliant with German or 947 00:53:46,110 --> 00:53:49,059 even Italian standards, it's okay to be enraged 948 00:53:49,070 --> 00:53:50,029 against the system. 949 00:53:50,450 --> 00:53:54,869 The point is that how do we move beyond grief into action? 950 00:53:55,350 --> 00:53:57,999 And this is where we need to understand what it means, 951 00:53:58,010 --> 00:54:02,009 I think, being in the line, where everything is at risk. 952 00:54:02,010 --> 00:54:05,358 I mean, and I know that now, it's still, we have some 953 00:54:05,370 --> 00:54:10,579 privilege in our works, but if some of us start to lose 954 00:54:10,590 --> 00:54:14,619 it just for exercising their rights, we should all feel 955 00:54:14,630 --> 00:54:18,349 worried, because sooner or later it will hit us. 956 00:54:18,530 --> 00:54:22,719 This is where we need to build nets, safety nets, 957 00:54:22,730 --> 00:54:23,669 to help each other. 958 00:54:25,210 --> 00:54:27,599 We don't need, really, we don't need to spend 959 00:54:27,610 --> 00:54:28,929 that much in our life. 960 00:54:28,930 --> 00:54:31,669 We can have times of austerity. 961 00:54:31,870 --> 00:54:36,298 We should afford austerity in our own life and trust me, 962 00:54:36,310 --> 00:54:40,659 if you see how my consumption of clothes, my expenditure 963 00:54:40,670 --> 00:54:43,619 for clothes has gone down from two years ago to 964 00:54:43,630 --> 00:54:45,789 now, you understand what austerity means. 965 00:54:46,150 --> 00:54:51,619 But in the sense we don't need as much, so we can afford 966 00:54:51,630 --> 00:54:54,209 less but also share more. 967 00:54:54,330 --> 00:54:56,918 I know it sounds idealistic, but this is where I have 968 00:54:56,930 --> 00:54:59,989 I have more trust in these than in what you said. 969 00:55:01,665 --> 00:55:05,826 [Applause] 970 00:55:05,900 --> 00:55:11,938 Also, also, apartheid and racial segregation in 971 00:55:11,950 --> 00:55:16,398 the United States and the dictatorships from Chile, 972 00:55:16,410 --> 00:55:20,159 Argentina, Chile, sorry, Brazil, they didn't, 973 00:55:20,170 --> 00:55:23,338 or colonialism, brutal colonisation, although 974 00:55:23,350 --> 00:55:26,019 colonialism is still lingering, and this is the 975 00:55:26,030 --> 00:55:28,539 opportunity to unpack it, because if one thing about 976 00:55:28,550 --> 00:55:32,069 Palestine, the genocide in Palestine has brought to 977 00:55:32,070 --> 00:55:34,438 the fore is what settler colonialism and 978 00:55:34,450 --> 00:55:35,729 colonialism still is. 979 00:55:35,870 --> 00:55:38,679 So it has spoke to the bubble of colonial amnesia that we 980 00:55:38,690 --> 00:55:40,329 have grown into, many of us. 981 00:55:41,130 --> 00:55:44,338 So again, let's take the silver, let's look at the 982 00:55:44,350 --> 00:55:46,549 silver lining out there. 983 00:55:46,990 --> 00:55:48,789 This is a moment to do better. 984 00:55:50,240 --> 00:55:53,439 We have to think together and act together. 985 00:55:53,620 --> 00:55:55,819 This is the only thing I feel to say. 986 00:55:55,980 --> 00:55:57,359 Hi, my name is Mark Barton. 987 00:55:57,359 --> 00:55:58,619 I'm a composer and professor in Germany. 988 00:55:58,900 --> 00:56:03,309 My question is about press freedom for Ms. Albanese and 989 00:56:03,320 --> 00:56:06,008 the provisions that exist under international law to 990 00:56:06,020 --> 00:56:07,519 guarantee press freedom. 991 00:56:08,320 --> 00:56:11,949 We saw in Israel's attacks in Lebanon, we saw the ability 992 00:56:11,960 --> 00:56:15,128 of journalists to respond immediately to accusations, 993 00:56:15,140 --> 00:56:17,899 for example, that hospitals were being used by terrorists. 994 00:56:18,220 --> 00:56:22,548 And we saw the role that journalism can play in 995 00:56:22,560 --> 00:56:26,519 debunking disinformation in real time. 996 00:56:26,920 --> 00:56:29,400 We don't see a lot of that happening in the West Bank 997 00:56:29,400 --> 00:56:32,839 right now, and right now there's a ceasefire in Gaza. 998 00:56:32,940 --> 00:56:35,400 We also don't see a lot of international journalists 999 00:56:35,400 --> 00:56:38,170 active, and I'm wondering if there's anything international 1000 00:56:38,170 --> 00:56:39,790 law can do to force that to happen. 1001 00:56:39,790 --> 00:56:43,068 When I think of what journalists have done, and 1002 00:56:43,080 --> 00:56:46,668 you mentioned Lebanon, I mean, it's even more shocking the 1003 00:56:46,680 --> 00:56:50,668 kind of double, I mean the moral compass and the moral, 1004 00:56:50,680 --> 00:56:55,548 the double, the selective attitude that has been used 1005 00:56:55,560 --> 00:56:58,819 after the Pager attack because I don't know how it was in 1006 00:56:58,820 --> 00:57:01,490 Germany but in my own country and other countries I saw 1007 00:57:01,490 --> 00:57:04,749 politicians and journalists laughing about that and 1008 00:57:04,760 --> 00:57:08,339 commenting on how audacious and genius it was. 1009 00:57:08,339 --> 00:57:10,527 [Wieland] Praising the ingenuity of the attack. 1010 00:57:10,527 --> 00:57:14,088 But this is where I say the entry point now where they're 1011 00:57:14,100 --> 00:57:17,008 rallying, I mean something to fight because this is 1012 00:57:17,020 --> 00:57:19,259 the common enemy, is racism. 1013 00:57:19,760 --> 00:57:25,139 Racism it was, racism it is, and racism continues to be. 1014 00:57:27,570 --> 00:57:32,159 And then was it, again, I do not think that is 1015 00:57:32,170 --> 00:57:35,649 international law was not able to stop genocide. 1016 00:57:36,010 --> 00:57:39,418 International law, it doesn't have, I mean, doesn't have 1017 00:57:39,430 --> 00:57:43,938 hands to slap the face of government officials who 1018 00:57:43,950 --> 00:57:46,469 pretend not to understand what genocide is. 1019 00:57:46,730 --> 00:57:49,329 I'm not referring to anyone in this country now, okay? 1020 00:57:50,190 --> 00:57:53,398 Seriously, I mean we have enough bad politicians in my 1021 00:57:53,410 --> 00:58:00,519 own country and where even the hypothesis of a two-state 1022 00:58:00,530 --> 00:58:04,619 solution now is dismantled by the foreign minister because 1023 00:58:04,630 --> 00:58:07,818 Gaza's been turned into rubble and the West Bank is too 1024 00:58:07,830 --> 00:58:09,858 small and I was saying, are you suggesting 1025 00:58:09,870 --> 00:58:11,009 that the Palestinians 1026 00:58:11,009 --> 00:58:14,249 take over Israel just because what remains is too little? 1027 00:58:14,670 --> 00:58:17,378 So this is the kind of political discussions we have 1028 00:58:17,390 --> 00:58:21,739 today and we need to somewhat talk to the intellectuals, 1029 00:58:21,750 --> 00:58:22,889 talk to the scholars. 1030 00:58:23,070 --> 00:58:25,659 This is also about the constitutional order that 1031 00:58:25,670 --> 00:58:28,669 is being undermined, not just international system. 1032 00:58:29,230 --> 00:58:31,760 International system has rules, at the constitutional 1033 00:58:31,760 --> 00:58:32,730 level we have rules. 1034 00:58:32,730 --> 00:58:34,010 What's happening to them? 1035 00:58:34,010 --> 00:58:36,869 So again, back to you guys. 1036 00:58:36,870 --> 00:58:40,039 My question goes a bit in line, like, seeing that the 1037 00:58:40,050 --> 00:58:44,059 current international law has been unable for 16 months 1038 00:58:44,070 --> 00:58:48,639 to stop a genocide, I can't believe I'm saying this, what 1039 00:58:48,650 --> 00:58:53,019 would, in your expert opinion, be the ideal international 1040 00:58:53,030 --> 00:58:57,398 law system, functioning system, who would draft 1041 00:58:57,410 --> 00:58:58,670 it, who would enforce it? 1042 00:58:58,670 --> 00:59:01,918 We know that this one, based on the nation-state, with this 1043 00:59:01,930 --> 00:59:06,298 Security Council created by the winning powers from World 1044 00:59:06,310 --> 00:59:08,989 War II with a veto power, et cetera, is not functioning. 1045 00:59:09,990 --> 00:59:12,418 How would you, yeah, what would be the 1046 00:59:12,430 --> 00:59:15,149 ideal international law system in your view? 1047 00:59:15,320 --> 00:59:16,080 Thank you. 1048 00:59:16,080 --> 00:59:18,699 As I said before, apartheid was not dismantled 1049 00:59:18,710 --> 00:59:19,669 by member states. 1050 00:59:19,930 --> 00:59:22,659 It was very late, when it was unavoidable that 1051 00:59:22,670 --> 00:59:25,329 they started sanctioning apartheid South Africa. 1052 00:59:25,950 --> 00:59:30,179 But really, we need to learn from other movements 1053 00:59:30,190 --> 00:59:34,159 where resistance, peaceful resistance, has organised at 1054 00:59:34,170 --> 00:59:39,039 a global level, admitting that never before there had been 1055 00:59:39,050 --> 00:59:46,818 such a coalition of allies at the international level 1056 00:59:46,830 --> 00:59:50,029 aiming to crush solidarity. 1057 00:59:50,690 --> 00:59:51,549 This is new. 1058 00:59:51,770 --> 00:59:54,999 But again, also the kind of forces that we can mobilise 1059 00:59:55,010 --> 00:59:57,669 is new, because the Global South is rising. 1060 00:59:57,670 --> 01:00:01,099 And I know that in our eurocentric view of the world, 1061 01:00:01,110 --> 01:00:06,728 we only look at the depressed, quite politically depressing 1062 01:00:06,740 --> 01:00:09,728 scenario we have, but there are also member states who 1063 01:00:09,740 --> 01:00:11,269 are cutting ties with Israel. 1064 01:00:11,560 --> 01:00:14,230 There are member states, I mean, I was joking today, but 1065 01:00:14,230 --> 01:00:17,349 I say in a few years, we will keep on asking funds, seeking 1066 01:00:17,360 --> 01:00:22,108 funds to, I don't know, Arab countries or the Global South 1067 01:00:22,120 --> 01:00:25,088 in order to protect our own work in this part of the world, 1068 01:00:25,100 --> 01:00:26,246 the human rights work, 1069 01:00:26,246 --> 01:00:29,000 but it doesn't matter, this will make us more equal. 1070 01:00:29,000 --> 01:00:31,370 So I also think that the discourse should change 1071 01:00:31,370 --> 01:00:37,449 because of where the United States is going is 1072 01:00:37,460 --> 01:00:38,919 a place of lawlessness. 1073 01:00:40,020 --> 01:00:42,829 This is the opportunity for the international community 1074 01:00:42,840 --> 01:00:46,469 to step back, but it will not happen automatically 1075 01:00:46,480 --> 01:00:50,769 because we are part of this oligarchical order where it's 1076 01:00:50,780 --> 01:00:53,188 not about what the people think, it's what about 1077 01:00:53,200 --> 01:00:57,208 capitalistic interests decide and this is why I keep on 1078 01:00:57,220 --> 01:00:59,399 saying it's difficult and it's 1079 01:00:59,400 --> 01:01:02,369 difficult because it's a struggle against the system 1080 01:01:02,380 --> 01:01:05,648 of which Palestine is a system, not necessarily 1081 01:01:05,660 --> 01:01:07,609 the cause of all evil. 1082 01:01:07,889 --> 01:01:10,850 [Applause] 1083 01:01:10,850 --> 01:01:14,438 I would like to pose a question concerning genocide, 1084 01:01:14,450 --> 01:01:17,278 which you said it's very difficult to prove this mental 1085 01:01:17,290 --> 01:01:21,999 state of committing it, but then we have another layer 1086 01:01:22,010 --> 01:01:26,438 and this is incitement, which we've been witnessing here 1087 01:01:26,450 --> 01:01:31,599 in Germany from the very beginning, October 7, 23, 1088 01:01:31,610 --> 01:01:34,189 how Palestinians, but in 1089 01:01:34,190 --> 01:01:36,539 all their layers of life, together with their 1090 01:01:36,550 --> 01:01:38,929 children, are dehumanised. 1091 01:01:39,430 --> 01:01:44,798 We just need to read Tagesschau or Bild, and if I 1092 01:01:44,810 --> 01:01:49,239 may read, or not to take time, but this is a serious problem, 1093 01:01:49,250 --> 01:01:52,458 and then if I go back to the history and the magazine 1094 01:01:52,470 --> 01:01:57,679 Sturmer and compare the images, not that I'm 1095 01:01:57,690 --> 01:02:02,169 comparing, comparing, but this historical flow of 1096 01:02:02,170 --> 01:02:03,629 dehumanising then. 1097 01:02:04,150 --> 01:02:05,839 I have no problem with comparison. 1098 01:02:05,850 --> 01:02:10,719 Okay, but then I am now careful, so because we 1099 01:02:10,730 --> 01:02:12,239 know what can happen. 1100 01:02:12,390 --> 01:02:16,139 But the processes of dehumanisations do last, and 1101 01:02:16,150 --> 01:02:19,559 they tell us that genocide, like for instance, in the 1102 01:02:19,570 --> 01:02:23,569 country where I am from, Serbia, lasts for a long time. 1103 01:02:23,570 --> 01:02:27,219 So I, as someone from Serbia, could also recognise 1104 01:02:27,230 --> 01:02:31,219 dehumanising images of Bosniaks or Bosnian Muslims 1105 01:02:31,230 --> 01:02:36,099 and then Palestinians while reading magazines, Bild, not 1106 01:02:36,110 --> 01:02:41,458 that I read Bild, but Bild, Tagesschau, or even I will now 1107 01:02:41,470 --> 01:02:46,039 mention the January 19th and the release of hostages, which 1108 01:02:46,050 --> 01:02:47,549 was really an important day, 1109 01:02:47,710 --> 01:02:51,169 and it is every time when we celebrate freed lives. 1110 01:02:51,170 --> 01:02:53,909 but then also freed lives from the prison. 1111 01:02:54,550 --> 01:02:59,199 And when we see how they are represented as the groyalde 1112 01:02:59,210 --> 01:03:03,469 Menge, can you help me translate this? 1113 01:03:04,530 --> 01:03:07,669 Screaming crowd, groyalde or the schreiende. 1114 01:03:08,150 --> 01:03:12,318 So this is my question about the incitement, also how 1115 01:03:12,330 --> 01:03:17,519 to organise ourselves to be aware, to collect, to archive, 1116 01:03:17,530 --> 01:03:21,029 and also then to serve to the legal cause in the future. 1117 01:03:21,470 --> 01:03:23,499 And thank you for your patience. 1118 01:03:23,499 --> 01:03:29,434 [Applause] 1119 01:03:29,690 --> 01:03:32,778 Again, genocide is difficult to prove because genocide 1120 01:03:32,790 --> 01:03:34,410 should be difficult to commit. 1121 01:03:34,410 --> 01:03:38,609 We should not confuse the intent with the reasons. 1122 01:03:38,830 --> 01:03:42,559 I mean, because people say, Israel, we cannot really say 1123 01:03:42,570 --> 01:03:46,739 that Israel wanted to destroy Gaza, even if it has destroyed 1124 01:03:46,750 --> 01:03:50,739 Gaza, even if it has said, there are Israeli leaders who 1125 01:03:50,750 --> 01:03:53,358 have ordered the destruction of Gaza, and general 1126 01:03:53,370 --> 01:03:56,298 commanders who have, in fact, ordered their 1127 01:03:56,310 --> 01:03:57,539 soldiers, so there has 1128 01:03:57,539 --> 01:04:01,258 been the order, the chain of command effectively triggered, 1129 01:04:01,270 --> 01:04:03,129 bottom, sorry, top to bottom. 1130 01:04:03,610 --> 01:04:07,098 They say, yeah, but they were also saying that Israel was 1131 01:04:07,098 --> 01:04:09,531 also saying that they want to liberate the hostages 1132 01:04:09,531 --> 01:04:11,429 or destroy Hamas, whatever it means. 1133 01:04:12,330 --> 01:04:16,858 And no, we shouldn't confuse this because the reasons can 1134 01:04:16,870 --> 01:04:20,358 be many, but have really no value in the determination 1135 01:04:20,370 --> 01:04:23,389 of intent, which is another thing, it's the mindset. 1136 01:04:23,690 --> 01:04:28,258 When the mindset is there to destroy, and the 1137 01:04:28,270 --> 01:04:32,338 genocide shouldn't even be committed, the incitement 1138 01:04:32,350 --> 01:04:37,779 is sufficient to trigger the responsibility to prevent. 1139 01:04:38,170 --> 01:04:42,079 And this is where, you know, when the first person to talk 1140 01:04:42,090 --> 01:04:45,179 about genocide in the context of what has happened in Gaza 1141 01:04:45,190 --> 01:04:49,559 was Raz Sigal, an Israeli historian, who said, this is 1142 01:04:49,570 --> 01:04:51,469 a textbook case of genocide. 1143 01:04:52,570 --> 01:04:56,369 And ignorant as I was back then, I said, oh, come on. 1144 01:04:57,130 --> 01:04:59,719 It's not a textbook case, because as a good European, I 1145 01:04:59,730 --> 01:05:03,159 knew that the textbook case of genocide, first, I mean, and 1146 01:05:03,170 --> 01:05:07,938 again, I had seen the failure to prevent genocide in Rwanda 1147 01:05:07,950 --> 01:05:09,429 and in Bosnia-Herzegovina. 1148 01:05:09,730 --> 01:05:13,378 So my point was, if there are no crematoria, if there are no 1149 01:05:13,390 --> 01:05:18,978 machetes, if there is no mass killing, it's not genocide, 1150 01:05:18,990 --> 01:05:21,089 it's not true, it's not true. 1151 01:05:21,210 --> 01:05:26,019 And this is why genocide has been a niche in legal 1152 01:05:26,030 --> 01:05:28,909 studies for a long time, and it's no longer that. 1153 01:05:29,070 --> 01:05:32,999 I mean, really, Raz was right when he said that this is a 1154 01:05:33,010 --> 01:05:36,139 textbook case of genocide, because it's not just a 1155 01:05:36,150 --> 01:05:38,929 genocide, it's a settler colonial genocide. 1156 01:05:39,310 --> 01:05:42,838 So the aim is ethnic cleansing, because the aim 1157 01:05:42,850 --> 01:05:46,619 is to empty the land of Palestinians, keep on 1158 01:05:46,630 --> 01:05:50,059 advancing Palestinian erasure so that the land can be 1159 01:05:50,070 --> 01:05:52,599 taken, but also genocidal acts are being committed 1160 01:05:52,610 --> 01:05:53,489 in the process. 1161 01:05:53,950 --> 01:05:55,869 And it's been said, and it has been done. 1162 01:05:55,970 --> 01:05:58,670 So this is not a case where there is no genocidal intent. 1163 01:05:58,670 --> 01:06:02,039 But Raz is also, I mean, I remember that Raz has been 1164 01:06:02,050 --> 01:06:07,039 one of those scholars calling me as early as February 2023, 1165 01:06:07,050 --> 01:06:10,079 saying, as I was writing about the tension and 1166 01:06:10,090 --> 01:06:13,318 mass carcerality, mass incarceration, and the 1167 01:06:13,330 --> 01:06:18,378 kind of, the systemic and widespread the nature of 1168 01:06:18,390 --> 01:06:20,499 deprivation of liberty of the Palestinians. 1169 01:06:21,190 --> 01:06:23,254 And he was saying, but when are you going to 1170 01:06:23,254 --> 01:06:25,490 look into the genocide against the Palestinians? 1171 01:06:25,490 --> 01:06:26,560 Imagine my reaction. 1172 01:06:26,560 --> 01:06:28,376 But I say, okay, let's talk about that. 1173 01:06:28,376 --> 01:06:30,978 But then I've realised how much he was right because as 1174 01:06:30,990 --> 01:06:35,258 a genocide scholar and someone who has studied the Holocaust 1175 01:06:35,270 --> 01:06:38,219 and other cases of genocide, he knows that there 1176 01:06:38,230 --> 01:06:39,529 are different steps. 1177 01:06:39,530 --> 01:06:42,679 That genocide is not an act, it's a process, and it's 1178 01:06:42,690 --> 01:06:45,599 preceded by a number of things, but there is one 1179 01:06:45,610 --> 01:06:49,659 element that is common, common across all genocides, 1180 01:06:49,670 --> 01:06:52,458 and wouldn't be possible if it was not widespread 1181 01:06:52,470 --> 01:06:53,549 among societies. 1182 01:06:54,050 --> 01:06:56,169 It's dehumanisation of the other. 1183 01:06:56,430 --> 01:06:58,278 So that we do not see the Palestinians 1184 01:06:58,290 --> 01:06:59,929 today as Palestinians. 1185 01:07:00,950 --> 01:07:05,999 And again, as a European, this is me taking, please don't 1186 01:07:06,010 --> 01:07:09,838 applaud, don't nod, don't say anything, hold your breath, 1187 01:07:09,850 --> 01:07:12,179 but I need to say that because I wouldn't be 1188 01:07:12,190 --> 01:07:13,749 me if I didn't say that. 1189 01:07:14,190 --> 01:07:18,659 But as a European, as an Italian, I know that the 1190 01:07:18,670 --> 01:07:22,159 genocide of the Jewish people in this part of the world 1191 01:07:22,170 --> 01:07:25,818 would not have been possible only for a few monsters 1192 01:07:25,830 --> 01:07:28,978 who had planned the deportation, the trains, 1193 01:07:28,990 --> 01:07:31,669 the industrialisation, the horror that has been done. 1194 01:07:32,150 --> 01:07:35,818 Jewish people in this part of the world, before being sent 1195 01:07:35,830 --> 01:07:40,539 to concentration camps, have died out of starvation and 1196 01:07:40,550 --> 01:07:45,869 lack of hygiene in ghettos where they had been locked up. 1197 01:07:46,830 --> 01:07:49,838 We know that the discrimination started, the 1198 01:07:49,850 --> 01:07:53,179 dehumanisation had already started when it was possible 1199 01:07:53,190 --> 01:07:56,054 to kick out of their professions, 1200 01:07:56,054 --> 01:07:58,849 people because they were Jewish. 1201 01:08:00,410 --> 01:08:06,719 Either we do realise that racism was the root cause 1202 01:08:06,730 --> 01:08:10,898 for the genocide of the Jews, the Roma, and Sinti, and it's 1203 01:08:10,910 --> 01:08:15,179 ingrained in who we are as European, I'm sorry, but 500 1204 01:08:15,190 --> 01:08:19,358 years of colonialism have been predicated upon the idea 1205 01:08:19,370 --> 01:08:23,188 of a superior race, white, male, Christian, and 1206 01:08:23,189 --> 01:08:25,000 it's patriarchy. 1207 01:08:25,000 --> 01:08:25,800 [Applause] 1208 01:08:25,800 --> 01:08:26,900 Either we deal with it, 1209 01:08:26,900 --> 01:08:27,930 No... 1210 01:08:27,930 --> 01:08:30,710 [Applause] 1211 01:08:30,710 --> 01:08:32,489 it's my responsibility, because 1212 01:08:32,500 --> 01:08:36,019 then it's here, I understand that you cannot talk. 1213 01:08:36,020 --> 01:08:39,459 I mean, I'm not making comparison, for God's sake. 1214 01:08:40,560 --> 01:08:41,978 But also, it's history. 1215 01:08:42,720 --> 01:08:45,278 And Germany has committed two genocides. 1216 01:08:45,500 --> 01:08:47,989 Please don't applaud, because there is nothing 1217 01:08:48,000 --> 01:08:49,419 to applaud to this. 1218 01:08:49,819 --> 01:08:52,398 Germany has committed two genocides in history. 1219 01:08:53,024 --> 01:08:55,560 [Inaudible] 1220 01:08:55,560 --> 01:08:56,309 Oops. 1221 01:08:56,620 --> 01:08:58,419 Okay, that's fine. 1222 01:08:58,880 --> 01:09:00,489 Two are bad enough. 1223 01:09:00,840 --> 01:09:04,778 And again, why can't we talk about that? 1224 01:09:05,760 --> 01:09:08,568 Are the Nama and Herero less human? 1225 01:09:09,109 --> 01:09:11,739 Do they deserve less acknowledgment, do they 1226 01:09:11,750 --> 01:09:13,959 deserve less memory, do they deserve less 1227 01:09:13,970 --> 01:09:15,319 reparations? 1228 01:09:15,410 --> 01:09:19,259 And again, and another thing, and so me saying that, probably 1229 01:09:19,270 --> 01:09:21,898 you should say that, the State of Israel doesn't 1230 01:09:21,910 --> 01:09:24,769 represent all the Jewish people in the world. 1231 01:09:24,910 --> 01:09:27,449 Otherwise, I wouldn't understand why you invite me 1232 01:09:27,449 --> 01:09:29,880 and sit with me today, and so many, I mean, wherever 1233 01:09:29,880 --> 01:09:32,419 I go, I'm invited by Jewish people first and foremost. 1234 01:09:32,419 --> 01:09:34,489 We need to have the courage to say that. 1235 01:09:35,330 --> 01:09:38,369 I do not expect every one of you to say that. 1236 01:09:38,370 --> 01:09:41,678 But those of you who have an inch of privilege in this 1237 01:09:41,689 --> 01:09:46,739 country, university professors with tenure, Jewish people 1238 01:09:46,750 --> 01:09:50,318 first and foremost, we need to say that it's not in our 1239 01:09:50,330 --> 01:09:53,299 name that this can be carried out because we have not 1240 01:09:53,310 --> 01:09:55,669 been able to prevent the genocide of the Tutsi, 1241 01:09:55,750 --> 01:09:57,999 we have not been able to prevent the genocide of 1242 01:09:58,010 --> 01:10:04,469 the Yazidi, or the Rohingya in Myanmar, or in Bosnia. 1243 01:10:04,470 --> 01:10:07,999 However, however, I really want this to be the last 1244 01:10:08,010 --> 01:10:09,349 genocide of human history. 1245 01:10:09,550 --> 01:10:12,169 And it's not going to happen until it's stopped. 1246 01:10:12,470 --> 01:10:14,058 In order for this to be stopped, 1247 01:10:14,058 --> 01:10:16,110 it needs to be understood and recognised. 1248 01:10:16,110 --> 01:10:17,240 [Wieland] Absolutely. 1249 01:10:17,240 --> 01:10:18,750 Thank you very much. 1250 01:10:18,750 --> 01:10:21,839 A perfect point to end, even if, obviously, many of us 1251 01:10:21,850 --> 01:10:23,109 would like to continue. 1252 01:10:23,310 --> 01:10:28,819 But there are still further parts of this program, which, 1253 01:10:28,830 --> 01:10:32,459 somewhat amazingly, has been allowed to proceed this far. 1254 01:10:32,510 --> 01:10:34,849 So let's see if we make it to the end. 1255 01:10:34,990 --> 01:10:37,839 Yes, so thank you again, Francesca Albanese. 1256 01:10:38,033 --> 01:10:41,000 [Applause]