Berlin court rules ban on Palestinian doctor speaking in Germany is unlawful
The administrative court of Berlin has ruled that an order imposed on Palestinian doctor Ghassan Abu-Sittah preventing him from speaking in Germany is unlawful, a court spokesperson tells Al Jazeera.
The court ruled that it was not to be expected that Abu-Sittah, a surgeon who has worked in Gaza, would commit a criminal offence or pose a threat to the democratic order in Germany by appearing at the Palestine Congress, where he had been invited to speak in April 2024.
The judges said they could not find any statements by Abu-Sittah since October 7, 2023, that were of a criminal nature or indicated support for terrorist organisations.
The court added that Abu-Sittah’s status as a historical witness whose testimony has been heard by the International Criminal Court should also have been taken into account by the Berlin authorities as well as his right to freedom of expression.
The state of Berlin had argued that Abu-Sittah was a supporter of Hamas because he participated in a news conference organised by the Palestinian Health Ministry outside al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza.
Netanyahu manoeuvres after ultra-Orthodox party splits
Gideon Levy, a columnist with Haaretz newspaper, says the loss of an ultra-Orthodox party in the right-wing coalition over mandatory military service is unlikely to affect the government.
“Yes, Netanyahu has a problem, but he was talented enough to postpone it now for three months. Because by the end of the week, the parliament goes for a summer vacation. So for three months, he now has a guarantee no one can make his government fall,” Levy said.
“And you know three months is an eternity in Israel. He’s gaining time; maybe his popularity will increase. The operation in Iran did raise his popularity, but not enough.”
Levy said all the polls show Netanyahu is still the most popular politician, but he doesn’t have a majority in the Knesset, “and that’s why he’s so scared of elections”.
