During the past weekend, two demonstrations unfolded in the British capital, London. The first, in support of Hamas, attracted thousands of participants, while the second, in support of Israel, had only a few hundred attendees. Key impressions from the events can be summarized as follows:
The pro-Hamas protest featured an inflammatory atmosphere, with flags from various jihadist organizations, anti-Semitic posters depicting Israeli leaders, and calls to eradicate Israel, liberating Palestine "from the river to the sea."
Many protestors of Arab origin chanted the infamous anti-Jewish Islamist slogan, "Khaybar Khaybar, oh Jews, the army of Muhammad will return," referring to the 7th-century Battle between Muhammad and some Jews of his era. Such calls are perceived as threatening by the Jewish community in Britain and its non-Jewish allies. The protestors also criticized the British government for its support of Israel.
Anti-Israel demonstrations and incitement against Jews are regularly mobilized by some Arab media outlets and personalities operating in London, such as al-Hiwar TV, Raialyoum newspaper, and Muslim Brotherhood affiliates like Moataz Matar.
In contrast, the demonstrators supporting Israel emphasized the call for the return of Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas and raised the British flag alongside the Israeli one. The speakers included Israeli officials who expressed gratitude to the British government for its political support, alongside local supporters, mainly of European origin.
However, unlike the pro-Palestine demonstration, the Israeli one was characterized by individual initiatives and a lack of collective and coordinated action. Apparently, the organizers were not able to attract broader and more diverse participation or provide broader media coverage of the event.
To address the pro-Hamas demonstrations and their anti-Semitic rhetoric, the Israeli Embassy in London and pro-Israel civil organizations should intensify efforts to explain the reality of the October 7th attack to British audiences, including Muslims. This could be achieved by reaching out to Arab media outlets and journalists opposing the radical ideology of Hamas, translating relevant materials into Arabic, and endorsing and encouraging individual initiatives aimed at these purposes.
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** Moataz Khalil is an Egyptian journalist residing in London and the director of Rasid (rasdirasata.org)
During the past weekend, two demonstrations unfolded in the British capital, London. The first, in support of Hamas, attracted thousands of participants, while the second, in support of Israel, had only a few hundred attendees. Key impressions from the events can be summarized as follows:
The pro-Hamas protest featured an inflammatory atmosphere, with flags from various jihadist organizations, anti-Semitic posters depicting Israeli leaders, and calls to eradicate Israel, liberating Palestine "from the river to the sea."
Many protestors of Arab origin chanted the infamous anti-Jewish Islamist slogan, "Khaybar Khaybar, oh Jews, the army of Muhammad will return," referring to the 7th-century Battle between Muhammad and some Jews of his era. Such calls are perceived as threatening by the Jewish community in Britain and its non-Jewish allies. The protestors also criticized the British government for its support of Israel.
Anti-Israel demonstrations and incitement against Jews are regularly mobilized by some Arab media outlets and personalities operating in London, such as al-Hiwar TV, Raialyoum newspaper, and Muslim Brotherhood affiliates like Moataz Matar.
In contrast, the demonstrators supporting Israel emphasized the call for the return of Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas and raised the British flag alongside the Israeli one. The speakers included Israeli officials who expressed gratitude to the British government for its political support, alongside local supporters, mainly of European origin.
However, unlike the pro-Palestine demonstration, the Israeli one was characterized by individual initiatives and a lack of collective and coordinated action. Apparently, the organizers were not able to attract broader and more diverse participation or provide broader media coverage of the event.
To address the pro-Hamas demonstrations and their anti-Semitic rhetoric, the Israeli Embassy in London and pro-Israel civil organizations should intensify efforts to explain the reality of the October 7th attack to British audiences, including Muslims. This could be achieved by reaching out to Arab media outlets and journalists opposing the radical ideology of Hamas, translating relevant materials into Arabic, and endorsing and encouraging individual initiatives aimed at these purposes.
___________
** Moataz Khalil is an Egyptian journalist residing in London and the director of Rasid (rasdirasata.org)