In a column for Middle East Eye, Ismail Patel, chair of the UK based NGO Friends of Al-Aqsa, assesses whether mass protests in the UK against Israel’s war on Gaza have made a difference.
He writes: “At their core, protests offer a profound and unequivocal message: “not in our name”. Regardless of whether they halt violence, they register citizens’ refusal to be complicit with their governments in the horrendous atrocities being committed in Gaza.
These protests have achieved more than mere moral declarations, bringing about tangible shifts in convincing ways.
One of the most powerful aspects of the protest movement has been the sheer diversity of those taking part. Protests in Britain and around the world have drawn people of all ages, ethnicities, colours and faiths, who have united to seek justice and freedom for the Palestinian people.
In this way, the protests offer a stark contrast to the forces of xenophobia, racism and racial supremacy that underpin the Israeli apartheid regime and its supporters.”
You can read the full opinion piece below.
Opinion: Have UK protests against Israel’s war on Gaza made a difference?
A protest placard is pictured in central London on 8 June 2024 (Justin Tallis/AFP)
