It is crucial for everyone in Britain to speak out now against our government’s role in Israel’s genocide.
For over a year, it has been evident that Israel intends to obliterate Palestinian society in Gaza, forcing as many people as possible to flee. While this strategy does not mirror Nazi Germany’s goal to annihilate Jewish society in Europe entirely, there are eerie similarities. As a Holocaust survivor, I feel obligated to participate in pro-Palestine protests in London.
These gatherings have been frequent and massive. Little wonder then that the authorities have been tightening the reins on these protests. Still, it was shocking when the Metropolitan Police summoned me for questioning.
Although we are uncertain how far the powers-that-be intend to restrict the right to protest, their aim to portray London’s pro-Palestine demonstrations as infected with anti-Semitism is clear, despite Jews, including myself, speaking out against this from the podium.
A year ago, in April 2024, I delivered my first speech in Hyde Park, recounting the arrival of Adolf Eichmann in Hungary to orchestrate the deportation of 400,000 Jews to Auschwitz, my family’s sufferings, and my father’s incarceration in Belsen and Theresienstadt concentration camps. I concluded by stating that Jews who endured this pain and devastation stand against the use of the Holocaust by the Israeli government to mask the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the West Bank.
The reaction to my speech was more significant than its content; the large crowd listened silently and then applauded vigorously. To label such a gathering as anti-Semitic or potentially violent is ridiculous. Yet, several newspapers next day published articles without evidence claiming that the audience had threatened to damage the Hyde Park Holocaust memorial.
Ever since, pro-Israel politicians and journalists have continued to label our protests as “hate marches” or “no-go zones for Jews.” The recent assertion that our marches endanger London’s synagogues is a further extension of this baseless campaign. Anyone who has seen the overwhelming warmth and support that our group of Holocaust survivor descendants – as well as the wider Jewish contingent – regularly receives on the marches knows just how unfounded these claims are.
Most crucially, the entire campaign is a deliberate sidestep from the main issue: halting the genocide in Gaza. As Israel continues its indiscriminate bombing, killing hundreds more Gaza civilians, it is imperative that we all in Britain speak out against our government’s contribution to Israel’s genocide.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s personal opinions and do not necessarily represent Al Jazeera’s editorial position.
