Germany’s ZDF television outlet broadcast a text in large Hebrew letters that stated “End the Occupation” during the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Middle East Monitor reported.
The public-service television station displayed the statement on the 18th-century neoclassical monument Brandenburg Gate, reported German newspaper Bild.
This was followed by criticism from Jeremy Issacharoff, Israel’s ambassador to Germany, suggesting that it is disgraceful that people consider this a useful time to exploit this event for political goals against Israel, adding that Germany was commemorating the anniversary of the collapse of the communist East German state.
Germany celebrated the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Berlin Wall, Saturday, a decisive event in the fall of communism in Eastern Europe.
It was during the live broadcasting of the actress and singer Anna Loos that the clear and critical message against Israel’s occupation of Palestine was aired.
It came abruptly in the sequence of images and excerpts of videos that were reminding the thousands of people present of worldwide protest movements.
Issacharoff told Bild: “On 9 November, we celebrated the fall of the Wall, but also dignifiedly recalled the pogrom night 81 years ago, which is also symbolic of the horrors of at the time approaching Holocaust.”
The newly elected head of the German-Israel association Uwe Becker, stated that ZDF provided “a stage for “anti-Israel antisemitism,” and expects an explanation on how it came to this “totally unacceptable crossing of a line” and must apologize.
He told the Jerusalem Post: “Against the background of the historical significance of 9 November, 1938, as the beginning of the systematic mass murder of six million European Jews, dealing with the joy of the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November, 1989, must be done in a sensitive manner.”
He added “The ZDF has done exactly the opposite.”
Event organizer Kulturprojekte Berlin has apologized on Facebook.
Moritz van Dülmen, head of the agency, claims the slogan was not noticed prior to its display and took to Facebook to post: “It was a mistake, for which I carry the responsibility.”
Edited for IMEMC: Ali Salam
