In the wake of a controversial viral video, Holocaust survivors joined pro-Palestine demonstration while fears of antisemitism grow
James Tapper
A woman is standing next to a group of Holocaust survivors and their descendants in Trafalgar Square, clutching her dog’s lead and livestreaming her challenge to the pro-Palestine marchers on her phone. “Why will none of you condemn Hamas?” she repeats several times, for the benefit of those watching online.
Most of the marchers ignore her, preferring instead to show their appreciation for the group of 11 survivors who oppose Israel’s actions in the war in Gaza. One man yells at her but is quickly ushered along by his friends. One young woman standing with the survivors kneels down to make friends with the dog.
But this is a march of thousands of people and one Londoner, probably in his 50s, takes the bait, yelling about “you bloody evangelical Christians” and knocks her phone out of her hands as she turns to film him. “Where are the police?” she calls, and in the commotion ends up on the ground, cutting her leg on some broken glass. Some of the marchers come to her help, and she dabs the blood with a tissue, then goes back to her livestream. She refuses to give her name, just that she “represents the kingdom of God”.
Does the scuffle show that London is a no-go zone for people who disagree with the demonstrators? Or, if even someone apparently trying to provoke a response can stand in relative safety, is that evidence, as the Holocaust survivors group hopes to show, that this is a peaceful protest where Jews should feel safe?
The survivors group were at the front of the march when it set off just before 1pm in Whitehall on Saturday, the thirteenth time demonstrators have gathered in central London to oppose the war in Gaza after the 7 October attacks by Hamas.
After the previous march, Gideon Falter, the leader of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, released a video clip of a police officer telling him that he could not walk across the march because he was “openly Jewish”, which Falter said showed that London had become a no-go area for Jews during the protests. It led to calls from former home secretary Suella Braverman for the Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, to resign.
But the release of a 13-minute video showed a much longer and more nuanced exchange between Falter and the officer, who offered to escort Falter away from the demonstration and said he was being disingenuous about his motives for wanting to cross the road at that point.
Stephen Kapos, an 87-year-old from Budapest who lost most of his family in the Holocaust, was in the centre as they walked up Whitehall.
“We want to stress our solidarity with the Palestinian people,” he said, adding that memories of the Holocaust should not be used as cover for Israel’s actions in Gaza. “The right wing has been claiming that there are no-go areas of London for Jews. We want to prove that’s wrong – we are very welcome here.”
“Openly Jewish” had become something of a slogan on the march yesterday, and some people were spurred to join the demonstration by Falter’s video.
Simon Moore, a GP from Muswell Hill in north London, wore a handmade sign around his neck about his father, who arrived on the Kindertransport.
“I know my dad would have believed in the Palestinian cause,” he says. “He was a victim of the same thing that is happening now. It’s very important that Jews or people with Jewish heritage say that this is wrong.”
Along Pall Mall, there was another potential flashpoint – a counter-demonstration by a group called Enough is Enough, separated by lines of police and barriers, too far away for anything except a few rounds of football finger-pointing. One of the organisers, Rev Hayley Ace, said: “We’ve had enough of open calls for support for terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah and Hamas.” Jews are being demonised, she said, adding of the marchers: “If they want a ceasefire, why aren’t they calling for the release of the hostages?”
Since 7 October, both antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred have risen – factors that led to fewer organisations commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January, according to Olivia Marks-Woldman, the chief executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. Numbers fell from 4,500 last year to 3,700.
“Some local organisers were worried about the physical safety of their events,” she said on Friday. “At the same time, we had some people who were very deliberately disengaging and citing community tensions, but occasionally cited reasons which are intrinsically antisemitic.”
She said that Holocaust survivors who worked with the trust had a variety of views on the Israeli government and its western allies, but were “almost all very, very worried about the rise in antisemitism”.
“One thing we hear quite often is people saying ‘the war in Gaza is another genocide, it’s just like the Holocaust’, or comparing the Israeli government with the Nazis,” she said. “Those are Holocaust distortions, where victims of the Holocaust, the Jewish people, are being accused of being Nazis themselves. That’s antisemitic. It’s deeply worrying. And it shows a fundamental lack of knowledge of the Holocaust.”
In Trafalgar Square, people stopped to greet the Holocaust survivor group. Mark Etkind is one of the organisers – his father Michael was from Łódź in Poland and survived after the 45 Aid Society brought him to the UK.
“It was quite clear from the beginning that Netanyahu was going to take the opportunity to conduct massive ethnic cleansing, what could become a genocide,” he said. “Myself and my friends in the group realised we had a responsibility to make it plain that we were opposed to that.
“It’s hard to talk about without getting a bit upset,” he added. “When we are on the protest, being openly Jewish, the level of warmth and support has been overwhelming.”
What of Marks-Woldman’s point that some of the ways the Holocaust is used in the debate are distortions?
“I think that people who compare what is happening in Gaza to the Holocaust are not being antisemitic,” Etkind says. “Anyone who knows history knows that we can’t understand things except in comparison to each other. What is happening now or in the future will never be on the scale of the tragedy of what happened in the second world war.
“But that’s not a comfort to someone who has lost their whole family in Gaza, and it would be cruel to say so to them.”
Build the workplace day of action on Wednesday, 1 May, International Workers’ Day
Anger at British backing for Israel on the Palestine march in London (Picture: Guy Smallman)
Around 200,000 people marched for Palestine in London on Saturday—another massive turnout for the 12th national demonstration.
Protesters were fiercely angry at Israel’s crimes and the backing from Britain and the United States.
Lots of marchers said they were lifted by the accelerating student protests in the US. But they were also fearful that the Israelis’ murderous ground assault on Rafah will start soon, and frustrated that the great movement for Palestine has not yet stopped the killing.
“The Israelis are going to wipe out Rafah, just as they did Khan Younis,” health worker Harriet told Socialist Worker. “When that happens we need more than a vigil or a march two weeks later. We need uproar.”
And as the demo assembled, news came through that British troops could be deployed in Gaza to “assist with aid deliveries”, after the US said it would not be sending any of its own soldiers.
The US previously said a “third party” would be responsible for driving trucks along a floating causeway onto the beach, a role the BBC has learned could be filled by British forces.
There should be no doubt—this is British forces aiding Israel’s plans. The US aid mechanism is a wholly inadequate cover for Israel’s refusal to open routes that could allow in unlimited aid. It is a famine-enabler, and British troops will be helping the illusion.
Israel will accept only proven friends of genocide to play such a role. In London, Julie came to her first national demonstration with her daughter Yasmin. “My husband’s parents were 11 and 12 years old when they were escorted from their homes in Palestine and forced to live in tents,” she said.
“For Rishi Sunak it’s all about money, power and control. What’s happening in Gaza is all down to Britain and the US.”
Salman, a volunteer for the Friends of Al-Aqsa group, said, “This is my second demonstration. Seeing the horrors coming out of Palestine I had to protest. It’s the least I can do.
Uma, a member of the PCS union, said campaigners need to show their anger “when we go to the ballot box”. She argued, “We need to check out all who voted against a ceasefire and not vote for any of those MPs. They aren’t working for us.”
“We need to use our voice in elections but also support actions such as shutting down arm factories.
“The students in the US have escalated the boycott movement and that’s what needs to happen here.”
“I object to arming Israel, which is a racist and imperialist project. So it’s fitting we are setting up in Parliament Square in front of a statue of Winston Churchill, who was the same.”
Mahmood, a pensioner from Ilford, east London, slammed the failure of the surrounding Arab regimes to support the Palestinians. “The regimes are weasels, they have no moral fibre,” he said..
Monday, a student at Greenwich university in south London, said she was on the protest because “I want to dismantle the narrative that all Jews are in favour of Israel. I’m currently ashamed to be associated with any Jewish state.”
Monday added, “The protests happening domestically in the Middle East show the Arab regimes are failing. They are focused on self-preservation, not the people of Gaza.”
Lydia, a member of the Unite union, said, “Workers should refuse to handle Israeli weapons. We need to stop the support for murder in Palestine.
And she hoped there would be wide support for the May Day workplace and student day of action for Palestine. “On the 1 May workers should be a voice against the supply of arms to Israel,” said Lydia.
Zahir, a health worker from Leicester said, “I’m an ex-Labour Party member. I thought Labour might change. I’m a socialist. I thought I could change things from the inside of Labour but it’s impossible.
“I’ve lost hope, I’m disillusioned. If only we could rise up. The same people who support Israel’s genocide are the ones who have let inequality run rampant and made people poorer and lined their own pockets.”
Anna, a young Muslim woman, said, “I’m here because this genocide has gone on too long. I’ve been on every national protest bar the first, and was part of the Palestine protests in 2021. But this feels different.
“The demographics are different. There are so many different nationalities and ages here. People are finally realising what’s happening.
“But this has been going on longer than seven months. It’s over 70 years of bombs and illegal settlements in Gaza and the West Bank.
“We need a ceasefire immediately. But longer term we need the Palestinians to have the right to return to their land. There’s already plans to put illegal settlements in Gaza.
“We need to keep protesting. The boycotts of Starbucks and McDonald’s have been really effective.
“We also need to speak up more in our workplaces. I find that really difficult because I don’t know how to raise it with people.
“We’re told we’re antisemitic for criticising Israel. The blurring of antisemitism and anti-Zionism is so dangerous, it waters down real antisemitism. Muslims, Christians and Jews lived together before and they can again.”
Full coverage of the struggle in Palestine
Lots of marchers are digging deep into the causes of the horror in Gaza. Maria, a Unison member from Portsmouth, said, “I’ll keep coming until this stops. The slaughter keeps getting worse. This is all down to colonialism and imperialism. And it’s been going on for years.
“But this won’t stop while Israel exists. We need a Palestinian state that is for everyone. To get that we need to keep raising our voices, boycotting and protesting.
“I work in a canteen and wear a keffiyeh on my head but I’ve been told that’s antisemitic. Yet we don’t see our unions stand up or MPs do anything effective.”
Diana, a Unison union member at Homerton hospital in east London, said, “It’s important that union members come together as a collective rather than as individuals. We’re part of a union and have to show that.
“There needs to be more from the unions. Every day at work I’m told I can’t speak out about Palestine and we can’t take sides. We’ve had demonstrations outside the hospital gates and wear badges but the union resists getting involved and shuts us down.
“They’re spineless. We have a vigil next week for May Day so we won’t stop standing up for Palestine. But we’re organising as health workers outside the union because the union nationally is too scared and gives into pressure from the hospital bosses and the government.”
New people are still joining the movement
Socialist Worker’s regular survey of demonstrators showed there are still many people joining the national marches, although slightly fewer on their first march than in earlier polls.
If our survey is accurate, 16,000 people were on their first national march on Saturday. And there is also a large core of very regular protesters who have been part of the marches from the start and stuck with them. Nearly a third said they have been on all the demos or all but one.
How many of these marches have you been on?
1st demo: 8 percent
2nd demo: 3 percent
3rd demo: 2 percent
4th demo: 11 percent
5th demo: 5 percent
6th demo: 11 percent
7th demo: 5 percent
8th demo: 8 percent
9th demo: 9 percent
10th demo: 7 percent
11th demo: 11 percent
12th demo: 20 percent
Keep speaking up for Palestine!
By Matt Willgress, Labour & Palestine
The revelation this week that ministers David Cameron and Kemi Badenoch authorised British arms sales to Israel right after an airstrike killed three British charity workers in Gaza has further exposed how complicit ‘our’ Government is in Israel’s genocide in Gaza. It also underlines why it’s so important that we remain active on the streets and throughout the labour and trade union movement, speaking up for Palestine.
Additionally, the Government is also refusing to rule out whether British machinery was used in the killing of the aid workers.
The obvious truth is that Britain is arming Israel’s assault on Gaza about which the United Nations Secretary-General, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and many others have said Israel has committed grave violations of international law.
This is why it is so vital to keep demanding – in the words of Zarah Sultana’s important Early Day Motion – that “in light of plausible breaches of the Genocide Convention, [we] further call on the UK Government to demand an immediate ceasefire and suspend all arms exports to Israel.”
In this context – and with a further horrific Israeli aggression against Rafah seemingly being prepared despite the ‘crocodile tears’ of Biden and his international supporters including Keir Starmer – Saturday saw another massive national demonstration for Palestine. Following this, next week sees further solidarity activities including on International Workers’ Day, May 1st.
Alongside our major May Day rally online which will be addressed by the Palestinian Ambassador, the Stop the War Coalition have called a range of workplace actions, Workers for Palestine have activities planned and then next Saturday there will be another national day of action called by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and others.
As Jeremy Corbyn said this week, “We must keep protesting and keep remembering why we are doing this: for an end to the occupation, for the right of return for refugees and for a free Palestine.”
Labour Hub readers should support all these initiatives and also take the new model motion (below) to their local Labour parties, which concludes that, “The first step towards justice and human rights for all Palestinians is the upholding of their right to self-determination under international law, including recognition, an end to the occupation and for negotiations leading to a just and enduring peace.”
Despite the Labour front bench’s shameful line – namely still not joining the growing calls in the UK and internationally for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza and to halt the trade of arms with Israel being used illegally in the war – we will keep speaking up for Palestine!
ACTION POINTS:
- MODEL MOTION FOR CLPs, April 2024
“The Israeli bombardment of Gaza has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians since 7th October, over 70% of whom are women and children.
“This branch/CLP joins the growing calls in the UK and internationally for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza and to halt the trade of arms with Israel being used illegally in the war.
“Israel has a clear obligation to ensure the basic needs of Gaza’s population are met. As famine looms in Gaza, the UK Government and the international community must urgently secure not just a ceasefire, but unfettered aid access. The UK should restore its support to UNRWA.
“The first step towards justice and human rights for all Palestinians is the upholding of their right to self-determination under international law, including recognition, an end to the occupation and for negotiations leading to a just and enduring peace.”
May Day Rally for Palestine!
Online, Wed. May 1st, 18.30 : Register here // Share here // RT here
H.E Ambassador Husam Zomlot plus: Richard Burgon MP, Kim Johnson MP, John McDonnell MP, Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP, Beth Winter MP, Louise Regan (Palestine Solidarity Campaign & NEU,) Maryam Eslamdoust (TSSA General Secretary,) Gawain Little (GFTU GS,) Jess Barnard (LP NEC member,) Mish Rahman (LP NEC member,) Sam Browse (‘Arise’), Hugh Lanning (L&P).
· Stop arms to Israel – take 30 seconds to lobby your MP
Zarah Sultana has put down an important Early Day Motion in Parliament noting “the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 26 January 2024, which found that it is plausible that Israel’s ongoing attacks on the Palestinian people in Gaza are in breach of the Genocide Convention,” and “calls on the UK Government to demand an immediate ceasefire and suspend all arms exports to Israel.”
Please take 30 seconds to lobby your MP to sign it today here.
Main image: Ceasefire protest, London April 27th, c/o Labour Hub.
No comments:
Post a Comment