ISRAEL AT WARThousands come out for and against Israel as protests commence globally
ISRAEL AT WAR
Thousands come out for and against Israel as protests commence globally
World leaders may be sending their ‘thoughts and prayers’ and calling for peace, but communities around the world may feel differently
Prime Ministers and Presidents around the world have universally condemned the actions taken by Hamas that indiscriminately kill Israelis, decapitate babies, and kidnap Holocaust survivors. That is, by no surprise, the easy step to how countries can show solidarity to a people who have seen more death and destruction since the last attempted genocide 80 years ago.
The next step will be addressing how so many anti-Semitic residents managed to swarm the streets of Western societies across the world and celebrate the attacks on Israel and its people.
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UK Rally Pro Palestine
(Photo: Outside the Israeli embassy in London. Vuk Valcic/Zuma Press/Shutterstock)
Here is a list of how people have responded to the attacks on Israel from around the world.
United Kingdom:
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that his government’s support for Israel was “unequivocal” in an address at a synagogue on Monday night. He has shown support by lighting up the doors of Downing Street with the Israeli flag and confirming that Israel had the right to defend itself.
Down the road, ‘clashes’ were taking place by pro-Palestinian parties that defaced flowers, called Israel ‘the new Nazis’, and called for the freedom of Palestine - without offering suggestions on how that may look aside from the violence that has already taken place.
Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn refused to condemn Hamas and suggested that Israel must end the ‘occupation’ of Gaza.
Ireland:
British private retailer LUSH has faced scrutiny and backlash after one of its Dublin-based stores placed a sign in its window telling customers to “BOYCOTT Israel”. It is worth noting that Ireland was one of the countries that vetoed the EU's intention to withhold Palestinian aid in the aftermath of the attack.
United States:
President Joe Biden has given perhaps one of the most pro-Israel speeches in recent American history. He called the attack on Israel 'an act of sheer evil' but stopped short of condemning Iran and connecting the country to the attack despite Iran confirming its participation. The US’s $6 billion in aid to Iran is still unfrozen at the time of writing.
Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton noticeably waited three days before posting any remark. Prominent New York Democrat congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez waited four days before addressing the attacks on her personal accounts before saying “Islamophobia, antisemitism, and victim blaming cannot be tolerated.” She has been widely criticized for her words.
In the past, the congresswomen cried in the chamber when it was announced Israel’s Iron Dome would receive more funding.
In the streets, many pro-Palestinian protests broke out in New York City celebrating the attacks on Israelis. Members held up signs of Swastikas and called for Palestine to ‘be free’.
Canada:
In Ottawa, both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre attended a rally in support of Israel. "We stand with Israel and reaffirm our support for Israel's right to defend itself in accordance with international law," Trudeau said Monday night.
In the days following the attack, several members of the Indian community showed solidarity with Israel by marching in the streets.
France:
In France, it is illegal to celebrate terror groups such as Hamas, and authorities were quick to break up a rally supporting pro-Palestine and Hamas-friendly causes.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday condemned the attacks against Israel, but the foreign ministry confirmed France is not in favor of suspending aid that benefits Palestinians directly.
Australia:
In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared himself a supporter of the two-state solution and said Hamas’s attack was not in the interests of either Israelis or Palestinians. “There’s no doubt there has been and continues to be Palestinian suffering but the actions of Hamas in this are completely indefensible,” he said.
However, its residents also managed to gather outside the Sydney Opera House with chants to ‘Gas The Jews’ and ‘F*ck The Jews’.
Israel will work on defending itself and its borders, but perhaps Prime Minister Albanese ought to focus on his residents at home who share Nazi-sympathizing tendencies.
