Germany: Citizenship Revoked Over Pro-Hamas Post

A Berlin district office has stripped a Palestinian man named Abdallah of his German citizenship after he posted a pro-Hamas message on Instagram—just one day after being granted his passport.

Abdallah, who arrived in Germany as a toddler, shared a photo of two Hamas militants with the caption “Heroes of Palestine” and has participated in anti-Israel demonstrations since October 2023.

Under Section 11 of Germany’s Nationality Act, naturalization requires adherence to the democratic order and protection of Jewish life. Officials determined that Abdallah’s actions indicated deliberate deception, making revocation legally possible.

Since 2015 German authorities have withdrawn 1,228 passports under similar circumstances, although revoking citizenship remains a complex legal process, typically applied in cases of fraud, criminal activity or terrorist affiliation.

By April this year, the federal police system had recorded 148,515 active arrest warrants—with almost 90% naming foreign nationals.