Officials in Western international locations, together with the U.S., Canada and the U.Ok., criticized peaceable rallies in assist of the Palestinian trigger and pledged full solidarity with Israel amid the continuing wave of violence and an outrageous Israeli siege, which is at present depriving civilians within the Gaza Strip from fundamental human requirements corresponding to electrical energy and water.
The similar authorities have did not condemn incessant Israeli assaults on Gaza and Palestinians over time, the nation’s unlawful settlement expansions in violation of U.N. resolutions, the raiding of homes of worship and a numerous variety of human rights violations in opposition to the indigenous Palestinian inhabitants.
UK’s high diplomat: Flying Palestinian flag ‘may not be legitimate’
U.Ok. Home Secretary Suella Braverman issued a warning to police chiefs on Tuesday relating to the show of Palestinian flags on British streets.
In a letter to chief constables in England and Wales, she instructed that waving the flag “may not be legitimate” whether it is seen as a present of assist for terrorism.
Braverman mentioned though there are legitimate causes for expressing solidarity with Palestinians, sure actions transcend the boundaries set by the Terrorism Act and the Public Order Act.
She offered examples of protest actions that she believes may probably represent public order offenses, together with focusing on Jewish neighborhoods, waving pro-Palestinian or pro-Hamas symbols and chanting slogans that might be interpreted as anti-Israeli.
Braverman urged legislation enforcement to make use of the “full force of the law” in opposition to any demonstrations or shows of assist for Hamas, in addition to any try and intimidate the Jewish neighborhood within the U.Ok. amid the battle between Israel and Hamas.
The latest escalation of hostilities within the Middle East has led to public shows of solidarity for each side.
Vigils have been held to commemorate these killed in Israel, whereas protests advocating for Palestinian rights have additionally taken place.
Braverman identified the necessity to preserve public order throughout demonstrations.
In the aftermath of a protest staged by pro-Palestinian advocates Monday exterior the Israeli Embassy in Kensington, the place the mantra: “From the river to the sea” was audible, Braverman conveyed in her letter that the phrase should be interpreted as a sign of a violent want for the elimination of Israel.
“Of course, it is not just explicit pro-Hamas symbols and chants that cause concern. I would encourage police to consider whether chants such as ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ should be understood as an expression of a violent desire to see Israel erased from the world and whether its use in certain contexts may amount to a racially aggravated section 5 public order offense,” she mentioned, hypocritically disregarding the truth that Israel has been occupying Palestinian lands for many years, in violation of worldwide legislation.
This slogan is usually employed to explain the aspiration for a unified Palestinian state extending from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea.
United States
Around a thousand demonstrators gathered in New York’s Manhattan on Sunday in solidarity with Palestinians as a few hundred pro-Israel marchers counter-protested.
New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul referred to as the Palestinian solidarity rally “abhorrent and morally repugnant” and ordered landmarks within the state — together with the World Trade Center and Niagara Falls — to be illuminated in blue and white.
CAIR warns in opposition to inflammatory anti-Muslim rhetoric
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the U.S.’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, referred to as on peaceable protestors to take safety precautions following a surge in racist, hateful and threatening rhetoric on-line, in addition to inflammatory feedback by political leaders.
“Political leaders have also attacked pro-Palestinian protesters with blanket condemnations, falsely accusing thousands of peaceful protesters advocating for Palestinian human rights of supporting terrorism,” CAIR mentioned in a press release.
Canada
Rallies in assist of the Palestinian folks have been held in Montreal, and Toronto, the place demonstrators had “free Palestine” posters, waved Palestinian flags and referred to as for boycotting Israel.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and different Canadian authorities condemned demonstrations throughout Canada by these they mentioned have been glorifying violence by supporting Palestinian resistance group Hamas’ assault on Israel, as they utterly disregarded Israel’s years of oppressive insurance policies, violation of worldwide legislation and killing Palestinian civilians.
“I strongly condemn the demonstrations that have taken place, and are taking place, across the country in support of Hamas’ attacks on Israel,” Trudeau mentioned in a put up on X, previously referred to as Twitter.
Trudeau joined a solidarity gathering for Israel late on Monday. Political leaders from throughout the spectrum in Canada have expressed assist for Israel.
When requested if he made a distinction between pro-Palestinian protesters and demonstrators supporting Hamas, his workplace declined to remark.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow denounced the demonstrations within the metropolis and mentioned they have been unsanctioned. Chow added: “The government of Canada has rightly listed Hamas as a terrorist organization.”
Toronto police Deputy Chief Lauren Pouge mentioned police revered the suitable to free speech whereas being in opposition to hate speech or speech glorifying violence.
Canadian province Ontario’s premier, Doug Ford, additionally mentioned, “Hate rallies celebrating the kidnapping and slaughtering of innocent Israeli people by terrorists are reprehensible and disgusting.”
“We are also reaching out to community partners to ensure they know we are here to support them,” a press release mentioned. “Hate Crimes will not be tolerated and will be fully investigated.”
Palestinian group Hamas launched a shock assault Saturday, with fighters infiltrating Israeli cities close to Gaza amid heavy rocket hearth.
Israel retaliated with a sequence of airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and imposed a complete blockade on the territory, house to almost 2.2 million folks.
At least 830 Palestinians have been killed and 4,250 injured within the Israeli bombardment of the strip, in accordance with Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to make use of all of Israel’s energy to destroy Hamas’ capabilities and to “take revenge for this black day.”
More than 1,900 folks have been killed within the violence, together with not less than 900 Palestinians and 1,000 Israelis, in accordance with authorities.
Israel has minimize water and electrical energy provides to Gaza, worsening the blockaded enclave’s already dire humanitarian state of affairs.
The seaside enclave, house to almost 2.2 million folks, has been reeling beneath a crippling Israeli siege since 2007.
Source: www.dailysabah.com