Jewish groups concerned over Palestinian gathering in Berlin

A major gathering of Palestinians in Europe, set for this weekend in Berlin, draws the concern of Jewish and other pro-Israel groups over alleged ties of the event to Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.

Several groups are planning to protest on April 25 outside the Arena Berlin, where the 13th Conference of Palestinians in Europe is to be held. More than 3,000 people are expected at the pro-Palestinian event, which is co-organized by the Palestinian Community of Germany and the British-based Palestinian Return Center.

Fearing a resurgence of the hate speech and violence that marked last summer’s anti-Israel protests in Germany, a coalition of groups under the name “Berlin Against Hamas” plan a protest rally on Saturday morning near the venue.

Politicians from all parties represented in the Berlin legislature have added their support, the Berlin office of the American Jewish Committee says in a statement.

“If political and legal means are not enough to stop this kind of event, then it’s time for the democratic civil society to show their true colors,” Deidre Berger, director of AJC in Berlin, says in the statement accompanying the protest call.

Sebastian Mohr, spokesperson for the “Berlin Against Hamas” initiative, applauds the readiness of politicians and NGOs to take a stand “against the hate of the terrorist Islamist group Hamas.”

— JTA