I veto former Greek minister Yanis Varoufakis in Germany for his support for Palestine

Renowned former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has a history of going head-to-head with the Germans. From his confrontations during the euro crisis to Greece’s eventual exit from the eurozone with Wolfgang Schäuble, Varoufakis is no stranger to controversy. And now, he finds himself in another battle, once again baring his chest and standing up for what he believes in.

Varoufakis is determined to denounce the significant damage being done to Germany’s reputation and the impact on all the democrats who stood in solidarity with the Greeks during their imprisonment under the generals’ dictatorship, including members of his own family. In his sights are figures like Olaf Scholz and Minister Annalena Baerbock, whom he believes are complicit in this damage.

Recently, Varoufakis was scheduled to participate in a conference on Palestine in Berlin alongside around 250 Palestinian activists, Jews, Germans, and foreign guests. The agenda was centered on discussing the dire situation in Gaza and exerting pressure on the German government to support a ceasefire. However, just two hours after the conference began, the police stormed the venue, cut off the electricity, and dispersed the attendees, with a staggering 2,500 officers present. Subsequently, it was revealed that Varoufakis was prevented from entering Germany.

Varoufakis was not alone in facing these obstacles. Other speakers, including writer Salman Abu Sittah and Ghassan Abu Sittah, the doctor and rector of the University of Glasgow, were also unable to address the conference. Ghassan Abu Sitta, who had valuable experiences working with Doctors Without Borders in Gaza, was detained for three hours at Berlin airport before being denied entry and forced to return to London.

Varoufakis claims that everything started when a significant portion of the German political spectrum labeled the conference as anti-Semitic and linked it to terrorism. Defending his co-organizers, particularly the Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East, Varoufakis strongly rejects these accusations. He argues that Germany prioritizes Israel’s right to commit war crimes over protecting Jewish lives, citing the ongoing atrocities in Gaza as proof. He boldly states, “There have already been two genocides – one against the Jews and another happening in Gaza with the complicity of Germany and the silence of its people.”

Before the police intervened, Varoufakis managed to record his speech and share it on his personal blog. However, during a subsequent demonstration organized by the Palestinian Congress, a police officer approached organizers and lawyers, ordering them not to use loudspeakers to amplify Varoufakis’ voice due to a ban on his political activities. Varoufakis recounts that his lawyers reached out to the Ministry of the Interior, demanding an explanation, but to no avail. While Minister Nancy Faeser supported the police action and condemned the congress as “Islamist propaganda,” Varoufakis remains undeterred. He asserts that as a citizen of the world, he only seeks equal political and human rights, regardless of his Jewish or Palestinian background. To those who label his actions as anti-Semitism contradicting German principles, Varoufakis challenges them to reflect upon themselves.