Pakistani student heckles German envoy for supporting Israel

LAHORE, Pakistan (MNTV) — A Pakistani student confronted and heckled Germany’s ambassador during the Asma Jahangir Conference in Lahore, criticizing Berlin for supporting Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and questioning the ethics of her lecture on disability and human rights.

The incident occurred during a panel discussion when Ali Abdullah Khan, president of the Progressive Students Collective (PSC), challenged the ambassador over Germany’s unconditional diplomatic and military backing of Israel.

Khan questioned what he described as the “audacity” of speaking about disability rights while Germany was “funding the disabling of children in Gaza,” according to witnesses and social media footage of the exchange.

He blamed Germany for complicity in what he described as Israel’s “genocide of Palestinians,” citing Berlin’s unwavering political support for Israel and its continued military cooperation and arms exports.

The student chanted pro-Palestinian slogans inside the hall before leaving the venue, drawing applause from some attendees. Conference organizers later sought to restore order, and the event continued.

According to local media reports, the German envoy responded by criticizing the protest, saying shouting was not dialogue, while organizers muted parts of the livestream during the disruption.

Germany has been one of Israel’s strongest international allies, consistently backing Israel diplomatically following the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack and supporting Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza.

Rights groups, activists, and some governments have accused Israel of committing war crimes and genocide in Gaza, allegations substantiated by the UN, ICJ, and other international bodies. Germany has also faced mounting international criticism for its political and military support for Israel during the genocide.

According to data cited by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Germany has been Israel’s second-largest arms supplier after the United States, accounting for about 30 percent of Israel’s arms imports between 2019 and 2023.

Berlin authorized military export licences worth more than €326 million in 2023, a ten-fold increase compared with the previous year, according to media and government figures.

Human rights organizations have repeatedly warned that continued arms transfers could make Germany complicit in violations of international law.

Amnesty International has described German weapons exports to Israel as “reckless and unlawful” and warned they risk complicity in genocide and other international crimes, calling for a comprehensive arms embargo.

A case filed by Nicaragua at the International Court of Justice accusing Germany of facilitating genocide remains ongoing, although the court declined to order emergency measures to halt German arms transfers.

Conference and protest context

The Asma Jahangir Conference is an annual human rights forum named after the late Pakistani rights activist, bringing together diplomats, judges, scholars, activists, and policymakers to discuss democracy, civil liberties, and global justice.

The protest reflected growing public anger in Pakistan and across the Global South over Israel’s war in Gaza and Western governments’ continued support for Israel despite the massive civilian toll and humanitarian crisis.

The Progressive Students Collective later criticized conference organizers, accusing them of silencing dissent while providing a platform to what they described as supporters of Palestinian oppression.