The Hesse Interior Ministry has banned the anti-Israel organization Palästina e.V. due to its role in spreading Jew-hatred, praising terrorism, and disseminating antisemitic propaganda.
The state announced the ban on Tuesday, after an administrative court found that Palästina e.V.’s purpose and activities go against Germany’s constitutional order.
To implement the ban and find additional evidence, police conducted searches in the early morning, under court orders, at five properties in Hesse and one in Baden-Württemberg.
Thirty-five police officers from the Frankfurt Police Headquarters, the Hesse Police Directorate for Operations, and the Hesse State Criminal Police Office participated in the searches.
“With the ban on the association Palästina e.V., Hesse is sending a clear signal in favor of decisive action by the rule of law and against the rise of antisemitism,” said Interior Minister Roman Poseck.
“Through its antisemitic propaganda, the association crossed the boundaries of permissible political expression. The association’s activities were aimed at spreading antisemitic stereotypes, deepening social tensions, and seriously undermining the principle of international understanding.”
What is Palästina e.V.?
Palästina e.V. was founded on January 22, 2022, with the purpose of anti-Israel advocacy. Particularly since the terrorist Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, the group has become increasingly active in public and explicitly endorsed the massacre, the ministry said.
This did not change even after the association allegedly dissolved itself, which it announced via social media on November 16, 2024. The ministry said that, in reality, the association continued its activities and persistently continued spreading its antisemitic propaganda unchanged.
Tuesday’s ban followed extensive investigative measures. As early as January 22, 2025, authorities searched the homes/premises of leading members of Palästina e.V. The group’s activities, public statements, and events were also thoroughly examined.
The findings confirmed that, over an extended period, the association had “spread antisemitic positions, denied the right of the State of Israel to exist, and disseminated corresponding propaganda publicly,” adding, “Its events and publications repeatedly served to fuel antisemitic resentment and spread anti-Israel narratives.”
The stated objective of Palästina e.V. is the “liberation of all of historical Palestine from Zionist occupation, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.” The association’s statutes state that it is to be “in solidarity with all forms of Palestinian resistance,” including that of Hamas.
A leading member of the group described Hamas’s actions as “a successful act of resistance” and stated: “There is no Hamas terrorism. There is also no terrorism by the PFLP [Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine]. Armed resistance is not terrorism.”
Members of Palästina e.V. repeatedly also used slogans like “Palestine has the right to defend itself, including with stones and guns” and “Palestine has shown that it can liberate itself; it blew up its prison – now it is our task to stand alongside our brothers and sisters and bring their struggle onto the streets.”
Ban important in light of increased hate crimes, interior minister says
The ban mandates the dissolution of the group’s organizational structures and the seizure of its assets.
Poseck acknowledged the importance of the ban in light of the increase in antisemitic hate crimes in his state. The number of antisemitic crimes in Hesse increased again in 2025, from 357 cases in 2024 to 374. The Hesse office of the Research and Information Center for Antisemitism (RIAS) also recorded a new high of 1,099 incidents last year.
He said associations such as Palästina e.V. “contribute to this worrying development through their hatred of Jews.”
“Protecting Jewish life and decisively combating every form of antisemitism are the highest priorities,” said Poseck. “Anyone who spreads hatred against Jews or denies Israel’s right to exist is simultaneously attacking fundamental values of our liberal democracy.
The security of Jewish life in Hesse is non-negotiable. The Hesse security authorities are already doing everything possible to protect Jewish citizens as effectively as possible, including through video surveillance. We will continue to take decisive action against antisemitic, extremist, and anti-constitutional activities.”