Why aren’t the people protesting against Israel calling for Hamas to disarm and disband?

@rkahichttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68514581
This West Bank? This is what the people of Gaza should aspire to by way of a "response" from Israel?

And again - https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/poll-over-70-palestinians-still-maintain-hamas-correct-to-commit-oct-7-atrocities/

Oh my god, please read a book! If it's just about Hamas why have the IDF been terrorising the people of the West Bank for decades. 507 Palestinian people were killed in the West Bank in 2023 alone, that includes around 81 children.

Wake the hell up

You're assuming the protests have some influence on international policy of course.

Let's assume they do, I agree marching for that would be more effective in stopping the war.

But I don't think everyone on the marches sees that as the end game....

Apparently it's true -

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/war-gaza-poll-shows-palestinian-support-hamas-still-high-despite-mounting-death-toll

Read the Mumsnet talk guidelines you're not meant to post across threads like that. Address your issue with the poster on the thread they posted it

What has this got to do with anything? We get it you're busy you've a lot to deal with in your day to day but you also have no clue what's going on in anyone else's life but choose to belittle and sneer at posters here who choose to participate in protest marches. Why so angry?

So are you saying everyone in Gaza supports hamas? You really believe that???

The West Bank, although it has ongoing issues with Israel and would never be considered to be on friendly terms, does not attract the same response from Israel, why, possibly because it isn’t run by Hamas, doubtful if there will ever be peace between Israel and Palestine, but Gaza would be better off if it’s people stopped supporting Hamas and yes I realise it’s far more complex than that, but it would be a start

There are indeed elements of the protests which range from being a bit questionable, right through to frankly illegal. This is an issue that happens with most protest movements once they get big enough, and needs good leadership and effective liaison with police and councils to address.

@Marjoriefrobisher well every single protestor I've encountered is marching because we've seen graphic images of babies and children being blown up by a so called ally of our government and we are selling them arms to commit these crimes. That's why most people are marching. Against our government and the Israeli government.

You can choose to believe whatever you want but it doesn't make it true. I've been there, I've been meeting people day in day out.

but you might need to take a look at some of your fellow travellers who have not achieved your exalted level of moral purity. I’m sorry to have to break it you, but so it is.

Well, I'd have to disagree with you on that one. But it's not something I do.

Yes, it certainly is easy to conclude that there anti semitic motivations in play when they are so vigorously and explicitly displayed by some of the protestors, and others apparently are happy to be there alongside them.
if there’s nuance there I’m missing do let me know.

I think there would be more general support for the marchers if they condemned the actions of Hamas which is what started this dreadful war.

I was horrified by the events and still am. This doesn't mean that I condone the actions of the Israeli government but the initial horror seems to be being ignored in the pro Palestine protests.

It's proven that money given in aid was stolen by Hamas - how do we know which charities are safe to donate to?

And nastiness pretending to be kindness is the most fun, isn’t it. Let’s not forget that.

The motives of the people protesting - and protest is what I was discussing, I am not required to account to you or anyone else for what I do or don’t donate to - do not appear to be as unequivocally pure as you suggest.

Regardless of how busy or financially stretched we are, kindness and compassion costs much less than nastiness.

It's just easier isn't it @Marjoriefrobisher to just think, oh yes, they are all anti semitic, they all hate Jews; even the Jewish protesters, those too. It completely prevents any kind of honest consideration of the actions of the government. How people can see the kind of images coming out of Gaza and think, yeah well this is all about anti semitism is beyond me. What the government of Israel is doing is abhorrent and that has nothing to do with Jewish people or the Jewish faith.

I don't doubt that there are some anti semitic people on these marches, you get vile racists everywhere you go but the people I have encountered have not said or expressed anything anti semitic. And I am certainly not either!

Well what have you done? Have you donated to help any Palestinian families escape Gaza? Raised any awareness of how other people can donate to help? Donated to MSF? Written to your MP? Or don't you have time for anything like that? You do have time to come on Mumsnet and criticise people who care enough to actually take some sort of action because they can't sit idle while they watch the horror in Gaza unfold.

@Lulooo Hamas are also democratically elected

That was in 2007 and there hasn't been an election since.

Having finally seized political power in Gaza, Hamas quickly exerted control over the region’s infrastructure, helping run food banks, schools, and hospitals. This increased Hamas’ popularity among Palestinians and helped to cement the party’s legitimacy as the leader of Gaza.

Militants soon began shooting rockets over the border into Israel; Israel responded in late 2008 with massive airstrikes and a bloody ground invasion that led to four Israeli deaths and about 1.300 Palestinian deaths. The two sides eventually settled upon a cease-fire, but Hamas retained its power.

And the next time I’m on the phone to the LA trying to sort out provision for my autistic son, or taking my 80 year old FIL to his medical appointments.
why am I not out on the streets protesting more, I will ask myself. Must do better.

Some people really don't.

Thank you for your pious lecture on the realities of my life. I will bear it in mind the next time I’m at my desk completing work at midnight.
some people have no idea at all

I’m not head scratching at all. I understood perfectly well what was happening when people poured on to the streets in the immediate aftermath of the October attacks - to protest against Israel.
no mystery there at all…