When I read the article I wanted to ask how is this new, collective strategy formed. Then I thought I can only write as a politically aware but usually inactive UK citizen - who has joined demonstrations against the Vietnam war, apartheid, troops in Ireland and the Iraq war, and in support of the people of Palestine. I have never found a political home - an organisation I feel comfortable as a part of and existing just in an online world feels meaningless.
Since 2014 the huge investment in the narrative that to be against the policy of the state of Israel is to be anti-semetic has been demoralising - it felt as if the Palestinian people were being consigned to a slow death and there was nothing we could do. The actions of Hamas has awoken people across the world, and our media and politicians are churning out endless propaganda in support of the idea that Hamas is akin to ISIS that Israel must be defeated by any means - all war crimes of Israel justifiable.
I have been heartened over the last week to walk across the park and meet an old neighbour who told me that his family would be going to the demonstration in London last Saturday and then to go to my bookclub and be asked to sign an online petition asking for the UK to be political neutral and not to take the side of Israel: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/648225
We are not our government. We are not our media. Small acts of solidarity matter.
When I read the article I wanted to ask how is this new, collective strategy formed. Then I thought I can only write as a politically aware but usually inactive UK citizen - who has joined demonstrations against the Vietnam war, apartheid, troops in Ireland and the Iraq war, and in support of the people of Palestine. I have never found a political home - an organisation I feel comfortable as a part of and existing just in an online world feels meaningless.
Since 2014 the huge investment in the narrative that to be against the policy of the state of Israel is to be anti-semetic has been demoralising - it felt as if the Palestinian people were being consigned to a slow death and there was nothing we could do. The actions of Hamas has awoken people across the world, and our media and politicians are churning out endless propaganda in support of the idea that Hamas is akin to ISIS that Israel must be defeated by any means - all war crimes of Israel justifiable.
I have been heartened over the last week to walk across the park and meet an old neighbour who told me that his family would be going to the demonstration in London last Saturday and then to go to my bookclub and be asked to sign an online petition asking for the UK to be political neutral and not to take the side of Israel: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/648225
We are not our government. We are not our media. Small acts of solidarity matter.