No Free speech at the Free University of Berlin

JVL Introduction

Francesa Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine was due to speak on February 19th at the ‘Free’ University of Berlin together with Eyal Weizman of  Forensic Architecture at an event named: ‘Conditions of Life Calculated to Destroy – Legal and Forensic Perspectives on the Ongoing Gaza Genocide.’

However, it seems that German students must not learn facts as the University cancelled the event after a request from the Israeli ambassador to Berlin, because Albanese would speak. Das Bild reported that the letter said: “It is a shame for your university if Albanese will speak there. A disgrace for the entire academic community, a disgrace for the city of Berlin,”.  The Mayor of Berlin said: “I expect the FU to cancel the event immediately and send a clear signal against anti-Semitism. Just like the University of Munich did.” (my emph Ed)

Yet again a German Institution has got it horribly wrong; it is Ms. Albanese who always speaks from the perspective of Universal Human Rights and International Law.  It is those who continue to automatically linking Jews with actions that violate those laws who risk increasing antisemitism.

LL

This article was originally published by Palestine Chronicle on Thu 13 Feb 2025. Read the original here.