The dossier and its authors
The research group AMIT compiled the 22-page dossier, which was first reported by Die Welt. Its photographs and links are intended to document proximity between Abed and the PFLP. Junge Freiheit describes Abed as a confidant of people who support terrorism.
The European Union and the United States designate the PFLP as a terrorist organization. PFLP units hijacked Lufthansa's "Landshut" aircraft in 1977.
AMIT, short for "Antifaschistisches Monitoring – Information und Transfer," researches antisemitic networks, particularly connections between Islamists and leftists. The group says it formed after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack because its members faced increasing threats and intimidation within the radical left.
Concert appearance and other associations
One focus of the dossier is a campaign concert organized by the Neukölln Linke district association in late August 2026, Jüdische Allgemeine reported. The performer, rapper Dahabflex, has lyrics that liken an intifada to the PFLP and include the words "Death to the IDF." The dossier says Abed attended and stood immediately beside the stage.
The performance also prompted sharp criticism within the Berlin Linke from lead candidate Elif Eralp and state chair Kerstin Wolter.
Abed's other associations include his service from 2018 to 2026 on the board of the German section of the International League for Human Rights (ILMR). The organization has faced criticism for repeatedly expressing solidarity with alleged Palestinian terrorists.
In his legal practice, Abed represents activists from the anti-Israel BDS campaign, which is widely classified as antisemitic. He also appears in court as a partner lawyer of the European Legal Support Center (ELSC).
Earlier criticism and the votes needed to become mayor
Abed had drawn widespread criticism before his mayoral nomination. At a meeting in Neukölln's district hall in October 2025, he accused Tzvika Brot, mayor of Neukölln's Israeli partner city Bat Yam, of perpetrating genocide.
The Neukölln Linke selected Abed as its mayoral candidate in January 2026 with 82.1% of the vote. Martin Hikel, the SPD district mayor at the time, sharply criticized the choice, saying it was an affront to everyone working for peaceful coexistence and against Islamism.
In the September 2026 district assembly election, the Linke finished first with 32%. The CDU received 15.6%, followed by the Greens at 14.8%, the AfD at 13.6% and the SPD at 13.5%.
The Linke's 19 seats in the 55-member assembly leave it short of the 28 votes needed to elect the district mayor. With support from the CDU, AfD or SPD considered ruled out, Abed needs all nine Green votes to reach that threshold.
