In a historic first, around 300 Israelis protested in Tel Aviv for the right of return and in solidarity with the Great March of Return against the siege of Gaza. In response to a request from the committee of the Great March of Return in Gaza protesters from around the country gathered to demonstrate in front of Hakirya military base and Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv, in solidarity with the Great March of Return in Gaza. We carried posters of slain Gazan demonstrators and Palestinian flags and chanted calls to stop shooting demonstrators, stop the bombing, end the siege, an end to the occupation and the immediate return of the Palestinian refugees.
Naama Farjoun, an anti-Zionist Israeli activist, stated:
“One year ago today, March 30th, Palestinians in Gaza stood up against the fence surrounding them demanding freedom and calling out loud and clear: We shall return. We stand with them.”
I applaud these brave individuals but sadly they are tiny in number.
The overwhelming majority of Israelis approve of all that country’s wars, occupations and massacres. The only situation where they might start to have their doubts is when the Israeli casualties hit the double figures, the Arab casualties – mostly civilians – having long since entered the treble figures without a word of complaint from the great people of Israel.
I am surprised that the people at this demo, calling for Return and holding Palestinian flags, numbered in the hundreds (350 according to the video). Similar demonstrations up to now have attracted only dozens. I wonder at what point you will stop saying they are ‘tiny in number’ and acknowledge the emergence of something new.