Local Berlin schools distribute leaflets denying 1948 Nakba as 'myth'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: German local council
24 Feb 2024 18:10
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A brochure titled 'Mythos Israel 1948' has been distributed at schools in Germany, aiming at downplaying the forced displacement during the Nakba and deeming criticism of settlements as "antisemitic".

A picture shows forced displaced Palestinians during the 1948 Nakba (Illustrated by Al Mayadeen English)

As the Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza persists and amid escalating fears of a new Nakba, local schools in Germany's Berlin have been instructed to distribute leaflets referring to Nakba Day as a "myth".

Today the Berlin district assembly decided to distribute a brochure *in schools* boasting right-wing revisionist historiography on I/P. Germany remains impervious to warnings of intellectuals from all corners, instead patting itself on the back for its neverending smallmindedness https://t.co/mioxwkN40N
— Hanno Hauenstein (@hahauenstein) February 22, 2024

The Social Democratic Party (SPD), Germany's leading political party, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and the opposition Christian Democratic Party (CDU) have mandated high schools in Berlin's Neukolln borough to disseminate brochures titled "The Myth of Israel 1948."

In Neuköllner Schulen wird nun die Broschüre "Mythos Israel 1948" verteilt. Die Broschüre leugnet die Vertreibungen der Nakba, in deren Rahmen meine Familie Anfang 48 vertrieben wurde, und verharmlost den israelischen Siedlungsbau und dämonisiert jene, die ihn kritisieren.
— Jules El-Khatib (@ju_khatib) February 22, 2024

A motion that received approval during a public meeting of the council in the borough last Wednesday indicated that “the district office is asked to advocate the use of the brochure ‘Myths#Israel1948’ in Neukolln’s secondary schools" to allegedly confront what they called "anti-Semitic narratives within the educational framework of the school.”

“The expanded definition of anti-Semitism of the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) and the German government should also be communicated,” it further added.

Dive deeper

Zionist gangs forcibly displaced over 750,000 Palestinians from their ancestral homes in Palestine, leading to the destruction of 500 villages and towns before the illegal establishment of the Israeli entity between 1947 and 1949 in what later became known as the Nakba.

“They walked for an entire day with my mom bleeding…”

This is the story of Maryam Al-Nabulsi who’s a live witness to Israeli crimes during the Palestinian #Nakba (catastrophe)...#Palestine #Nakba75 #NakbaDay pic.twitter.com/nD5Y0k8cRV
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 20, 2023

Known as the Day of Nakba, Palestinians annually commemorate this incident on May 15. Despite ample credible evidence supporting the occurrence of this historical tragedy, a leaflet distributed among high school students in Berlin’s Neukolln borough unequivocally rejects it as a "myth".

"Israel" is celebrating the day when it murdered thousands of #Palestinians and forcefully displaced dozens of thousands of families.
The number of massacres that the Israeli occupation has committed and is still committing reveals one truth: The #Nakba never ended.#Palestine pic.twitter.com/GDlYk2k0Ju
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 14, 2022

Back in May of last year, the United Nations, recognizing the compelling evidence, observed the 75th anniversary of Nakba Day for the first time in its history. The UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) orchestrated a significant special meeting presided over by Ambassador Cheikh Niang of Senegal, the committee's chairman.

Germany's adamance in supporting genocide

Germany remains a fierce and avid supporter of the occupation and mass suffering of Palestinians.

Last month, the German Der Spiegel magazine reported that the German government is considering delivering tank shells to "Israel" to support its genocidal war against Gaza.

The magazine stated in a report that "Berlin received a request to supply [Israel with] about 10,000 precision shells of 120mm caliber to the Israeli army in November last year," stressing that "the relevant authorities have already approved the request preliminary."

Der Spiegel added that Berlin is considering supplying the IOF from the stocks of the German army to respond to the request urgently as the military industry cannot provide the required amount of precision ammunition immediately.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had previously voiced his opposition to an "immediate" ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, amid increasing global pleas to end the war on Gaza and Israeli massacres.

He also said that "Israel's" purported right to "self-defense" must "not be called into question."

Nevertheless, the perspective among Germans differs. A recent poll conducted by the foundation Forschungsgruppe Wahlen found that anti-Israeli genocide sentiments have been on the rise among German voters.

The results of the poll showed that 61% of voters are critical of and oppose "Israel's" genocide in Gaza due to the colossal Palestinian death toll, slamming Israeli military conduct as "unjustified". In contrast, a diminishing 25% of voters support the genocide.

Last month, Deutsche Welle reported mass pro-Palestinian rallies that swept the German capital, Berlin. Protesters could be heard chanting slogans such as: "No to genocide in Gaza" and: "All together against fascism" while lighting candles as a tribute to Gaza's martyrs.

The protest was triggered by Germany's decision to declare its support for the Israeli occupation in the case raised against it by South Africa at the International Court of Justice.