By Riham AlkousaaBERLIN (Reuters) - Pro-Palestinian activists have filed criminal charges against a German politician for suspected incitement of hate and denial of war crimes in Israel's war in Gaza, they said on Friday. War in Israel and Gaza View All 209 ImagesThe charges against Volker Beck, a former member of parliament and the head of the German-Israeli Society, were brought by Palestinian solidarity groups Palestine Speaks and Jewish Voice for Just Peace in the Middle East. "This is the first step in holding public figures who publicly make genocidal statements legally accountable," the group wrote on its Instagram. "There is no genocide in Gaza and I do not advocate genocide," he told Reuters, adding that he had filed complaints against the groups for defamation. "These people have a disturbed relationship with the rule of law if they believe that many complaints lead to more investigations."

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Persons: Alkousaa, Volker Beck, Beck, Riham Alkousaa, Rachel More, Nick Macfie Organizations: Israeli Society, Palestine, Jewish, Reuters, Court Locations: Alkousaa BERLIN, German, Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, Germany, Berlin, South Africa