Critics Condemn German-Funded Gaza Film Screening in Haifa

Channel 14 News revealed yesterday (Tuesday) that a German government-funded foundation is behind a film screening scheduled to take place today in Haifa.

According to the report, the film, Gaza – Eyewitnesses, is funded by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, a German political foundation that operates in Israel and is financed with German taxpayer money. The foundation is affiliated with the German left-wing party Die Linke and reportedly receives tens of millions of euros in annual public funding from German government ministries.

The foundation says its mission is to promote "human rights, civil society, and democracy." However, according to the report, critics argue that it promotes a political agenda critical of Israel and provides a platform for initiatives and content that portray the country in a negative light.

The report also noted that the film has previously been screened in Ramallah, the United Kingdom, and the Freedom Theatre in Jenin.

According to Channel 14 News, the film's creator, Hossam al-Mada, compares Israel's actions in Gaza to the crimes of Nazi Germany. He argues that just as Nazi propaganda "stripped Jews of their humanity and thereby made it easier to kill them," Israel, he claims, dehumanizes Palestinians by asserting that there are no innocent people in the Gaza Strip, making it easier for IDF soldiers to carry out what he describes as "genocide."

Channel 14 News also reported that the film was directed by Ofira Henig, who is a member of the organization Breaking the Silence.

Critics of the screening argue that, under the banner of artistic expression, the film promotes accusations of war crimes and genocide against Israel and the IDF while drawing comparisons to the Holocaust and Nazi Germany.