Ghassan Abu-Sitta denied access to France by German visa ban
There are times one reads of things online or in the media that are upsetting or disturbing. Occasionally, one reads things that cause the blood to boil with anger and frustration.
I have always been a strong supporter of the European Union. I believe the unity of peoples and of countries to be our only hope for peace among our turbulent and often violent species.
However, I read today that Germany, of it’s own volition, has imposed a Schengen-wide ban on Ghassan Abu-Sitta. He’s a globally respected medical professional who arrived in Paris yesterday to speak at the French senate, at their invitation.
The French government stated it had no knowledge of the German action against the Palestinian doctor.
Ghassan Abu-Sitta has committed no crime, unless one considers it a crime to be Palestinian.
“During the months of October and November 2023 at the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza that has since killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, Abu-Sitta operated from Gaza’s al-Shifa and al-Ahli Baptist hospitals. During his 43 days, he described witnessing a “massacre unfold” in Gaza and the use of white phosphorus munitions, which Israel has denied. He has also provided evidence to Scotland Yard.
Raymonde Poncet Monge, the Europe Écologie-Les Verts senator who organised the conference, said she condemned the police action and said they had contacted the office of the interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, in an attempt to allow Abu-Sitta entry without success.
“How can Germany issue territorial bans throughout the Schengen area? It’s mind-boggling! This is a new step in the repression of everything to do with Palestine,” said Poncet Monge, who later posted a photograph of Abu-Sitta attending the conference via video.
“We are outraged that he cannot be present among us,” she said.”
Outraged, indeed! It would seem that Germany is determined to try to assuage its social guilt over the Nazi atrocities of WW2, by its support of the Israeli government no matter what heinous crimes they commit against the innocent Palestinians of Gaza and the West Bank.
Is it not time that Western governments stopped treating Israel as the poor, down-trodden nation that must be appeased at all costs? It’s time to leave religion out of the equation. Every Israeli has a right to practice whatever religion they choose. To be Jewish is to practice the Jewish religion. There is nothing special about being Jewish that sets them apart from the rest of humanity. Unless, of course, you believe all that crap about them being the chosen people of the one God. This loving and caring god who sent the angel of death to slaughter every Egyptian child under two years of age.
Israel now seems determined to kill or maim as many Palestinian children as they can, presumably to prevent them from growing to adulthood hating their belligerent and cruel neighbour.
If Germany is determined to continue acting like some demented child haunted by the atrocities of its ancestors and determined to an existence of continual self-flagellation, then it can feel free to do so.
To thrust its guilt onto the rest of Europe is not unity, but dictatorship.