Berlin [Germany], February 20: A leading UN authority on the Palestinian Territories has warned against restrictions on academic freedom after an event she was set to attend at a Berlin university was held online following a political backlash.
Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, said it was "extremely worrisome" that universities are cancelling lectures and that educational institutions should allow people to "agree to disagree." Albanese was invited to the German capital to participate in a discussion with the British-Israeli architect Eyal Weizman, founder of the Forensic Architecture research group.
The university subsequently cancelled the live event on its premises, blaming "current polarization and the unpredictable security situation." It was instead held at a separate venue in the Berlin district of Kreuzberg and live-streamed in a room at the Free University of Berlin.
The Italian lawyer has faced criticism for her views on the war in Gaza, with critics accusing her of anti-Semitism over her denunciations of Israeli actions.
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner was among those calling for the event to be cancelled. The university called in police to attend the live stream. Police said the broadcast "ended without disruption." The Left, a hard-left German party, described the cancellation of the event as "deeply disturbing." Party chairwoman Ines Schwerdtner said in a post on X that it "must be possible to speak openly about human rights violations in the Gaza Strip - including the accusation of genocide, which is currently being examined by the [International Court of Justice]." Israel has been heavily criticized internationally for causing civilian casualties during the conflict in Gaza.
The International Court of Justice is currently investigating Israel for genocide in a claim brought by South Africa.
Source: Qatar Tribune
