German TV presenter fired for supporting Palestinian cause

A host of the children's channel (Kika) has been fired after taking part in an anti-Israel demonstration in the summer.

The former moderator of the children’s channel (KiKa), Matondo Castlo, announced that the broadcaster had decided “no longer to activate” the collaboration. “So I’m out,” Castlo wrote on Instagram on Monday. Matondo Castlo shared a post on his Instagram account; that he was fired from KiKa TV this week for taking part in protests in the town of Beit Dayan near Nablus in August. Matondo Castlo was suspended from his position at the children’s channel for more than three months. Since then, questions have been piling up on Instagram as to when he will return. Castlo went on to say that the demonstration was peaceful and its purpose was to protest land confiscation by Israeli forces and settlers. He added: “I had no intention of making a political statement and I didn’t even take a stand against Israel. I immediately made this public and explained to Kika many times.

“Bild” reported in August that he took part in the youth festival in the Palestinian village of Farkha. This is said to be hostile to Israel. KiKa released Castlo as a result of this report, and now Castlo has published the broadcaster’s decision on Instagram to “no longer activate” the collaboration. On the part of KiKa it says: “As a house, after careful consideration, we have decided against continuing the cooperation with Matondo Castlo.” For reasons of personal rights, no further information can be given at the moment. In several respects, the case is reminiscent of the case of the journalist and doctor Nemi El-Hassan, who was prematurely dismissed by WDR in 2021.

The dismissal not only sends the wrong signal because Castlo, as the first black KiKa moderator, has an important role model function, but also because it is in a context in which civil society engagement in Israel/Palestine is increasingly being criminalized – for example in the case of the Palestinians Human rights organization Al-Haq and five other Palestinian NGOs. The UN sharply condemned this development this year. If Germany takes its responsibility for Israel seriously, this must also include strengthening civil society forces in Israel and Palestine – instead of helping to make them taboo. Especially with a view to the right-wing extremist government coalition that is currently emerging in Israel.

The Farkha Festival in the West Bank, in which Castlo participated, is a grassroots festival of civil society forces, which hosts readings and tours of the West Bank to bring the realities of life of local people to life. It is directed against the Israeli occupation, but is also a thorn in the side of Islamist forces because men and women meet there together. The demonstration, which Castlo is accused of taking part in, was a demo against – internationally condemned – settlement policy. Castlo himself emphasized in a statement that he was not on either side: “I didn’t want to make a political statement by taking part in the demonstration and certainly didn’t want to position myself against Israel.” He underestimated the political explosiveness.