Why Gaza?

[Mixymaxymoxy]

There are several atrocities happening in the world that could be described as genocides. Sudan, DCR, Rohingya in Myanmar, Yazidi in Iraq,

why has the Gaza / Palestinian cause motivated young people in the west more than any of the above ?

if you are a protester, how do to decide which cause to protest about ? If your children are protesting, why do you think they chose this one ?

I’m 54 and was not politically active when I was younger. I’m seeing the protests in France and elsewhere and wondering why Gaza so much part of the protests?

Because Isreal is a "western" country with close ties to the UK and the UK government is involved in the war on Gaza because of weapons sales to Isreal. News coverage is driven by proximity

Jewish people are a tiny minority in the UK - about 0.5% of the population.

This also sums up exactly how I feel.

I'm Jewish and I think it's because, unlike those other countries, Israel is supposed to be our ally and the British government is funding it and arming it to do what it's doing I think a lot of the horror is not because Israel is Jewish per se, but that Israel was this plucky country of survivors of the most horrific murder spree , so what it's doing now seems all the more horrific. As the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, it certainly does to me.

Could antisemitism account for the origins of why it is higher profile? Perhaps. But I don't think that's what's behind most people's attention to it at all. It's understandable horror at one of the best funded and organised armies in the world vs a population that isn't even permitted an army. Yes, there is armed and relatively well funded (from some neighbouring countries) militia in Palestine but it is in no way at all up to putting up even a defence, let alone attack, against the power of the IDF. And people understandably find that grotesque. As was October 7th, but Netanyahu's made sure the world won't care about the people who died or were kidnapped that day compared to what happened in the aftermath.

In respect of why Gaza rather than anywhere else, I think it's largely jumping on a popular bandwagon.

Relatively large Jewish populaton of this country? You imply that you're in the UK where, at the last census, just under 280,000 Jews were recorded. That's not large.

It's all political manipulation. There's no actual reason for any of us typical Brits with no family connection to Israel/Gaza/Palestine to have any especial interest. If you are very invested in it, you're being played. IMHO.

Quoting my own post to say that on the wall of said lycée there is a plaque commemorating the 7 Jewish students who were taken from the school to the local velodrome to be kept captive until they were moved to Drancy and executed. And Palestinian flags now being waved beside it .

Because geography, history, reality and the Palestinian diaspora @Mixymaxymoxy.

I would imagine because we have a large Muslim population in Europe, who are pretty much pushing the agenda for Western involvement in respect of the Gaza situation. The reality is that a large proportion of them are Pro Palestinian, which is the driving force behind lobbying our government and businesses to impose sanctions against Israel. Personally, I believe that the ME should be left to sort out their own mess.

Absolutely agree that this is the reason

I think this is a very good point that many in the Jewish community forget - I'd say I've noticed in the community a tendency to assume that people are angry at Israel because they are invested in antisemitism, rather than the fact that, given they have no investment in Israel, and given everything they hear, most people are obviously going to side with the Palestinian people at the end of the day.

As usual first post nails it

A few posters have said this, can you expand? Do you really think people are horrified by the atrocities in Gaza because they apparently don’t like Jewish people? Do you really believe that?

Man I hate this expression so very much, so unoriginal. Sorry to deflect.

There’s a genocide happening in Sudan and the UK is complicit in that. No one really gives a stuff though.

It’s indirect though. It put its trade ties with the UAE first. It’s not as clear cut. In comparison it actually sold arms to kill Palestinians and actively protecting and aligning itself with Israel.

16-18 year olds live online. That's where they absorb it from. One thing Hamas is really, really good at (apart from using Palestinians as human shields) is propaganda. Really fucking excellent at it, and have been for years. Videos, fictional sob-stories, AI-generated shit - you name it, they're using it. And it's clearly very effective.

Then just add in the sheep-like qualities of the average teenager. They are the greatest followers of fashion, and the keffiyeh, hipster swastika that it is, is high fashion. Teenagers want to belong, to be 'in with the in crowd'.

Effective propaganda, and teenage malleability. Winning combination.

Is it?
I 100% think there should be a Jewish homeland. I also believe that the Israeli government is committing genocide.

Because there’s a strong link between the UK government, US government, Israel and Palestine.

its nothing to do with Antisemitism, that’s a defense zionists use to excuse their genocide that’s killed 20k kids.

I’m not sure that’s entirely true. There’s a massive issue with Islamophobia as well as antisemitism so there are plenty on each ‘side’ for all the wrong reasons.

Personally I think it’s a complicated combination of plenty of antisemitism, a long history of people being uncomfortable with the history in the region, some truly awe inspiring terrible decisions by Netanyahu and Trump, a great social media campaign by Hamas and their friends and a tendency for people to enjoy joining a cause and being part of something that feels important. And frankly, the numbers being very much against Israelis and Jews as we are a teeny tiny minority everywhere in the world and aren’t even allowed in most of the Middle East.

I blame bigots and Netanyahu and the thugs in my daughter’s class (and their parents) at various points each and very week.

@PurpleThistle7 you don’t mention anything about the dead toll of Palestinians in your post nor the fact that Israel has control of so much of the land, or the fact that 90% of housing stock has been decimated.

Do you not believe these things are happening or do you think that people don’t really have empathy with those who are suffering?

Israel is supposed to be our ally although you would never think so from the way the UK Gov has behaved.

We do not fund Israel. Please explain what we fund?

It was confirmed in Parliament on 18 March 2025 that UK arms exports to Israel had accounted for less than 1% of Israel’s defence imports in recent years.

I don't think there's any 'perhaps' is antisemitism being the main driver for attention to this war.

Hamas and their backers/funders orchestrated their propaganda machine to directly appeal to Jew haters and they have been spectacularly successful in stinking them out, exposing that the oldest hatred was always simmering under the surface and so called 'civilisation' or progress hasn't changed that prejudice.

Have you ever seen a war where global protests, mass produced flags and scarves were organised on the DAY a genocide took place AGAINST the victims while the genocide was live streamed by the genociders? They've even got slogans, placards, songs and a drum roll for it!

Note that on none of these marches, placards or slogans are there calls for Hamas to disarm or stop using civilians as human sacrifices nor to release the hostages before they were all returned.

Can you suggest what you think Netanyahu should have done differently to neutralise the Palestinian terrorist groups who took part in October 7th (and vowed to do it again and again), as well as the civilians who took part?

What do you think any other Western Government would have done?

Post 9/11 War on Terror anyone?

Question for those who think israel should no longer be for the jewish population

There are 7.2 million jews in israel which is about 73% of the population of israel

There is no other jewish state in the world

Should palestine take over israel then the jewish population will not be safe there

Where do you want 7.2 million people to go - europe? The uk?

Post 9/11 47k afghanistan civillians, 66k afghan military police and 51k taliban were killed vs 2.5k americans and 500 brits all military.

Where were the protests against uk and america committing genocide? Why was no one marching on the anniversary of 9/11 waving afghanistan flags through the streets of london?

Should George Bush have done nothing after 9/11? This was israels 9/11 in fact if anything the brutality was significantly worse than 9/11 as it was much more personal than planes flying into buildings - should israel not respond to the rape and murder of its citizens by a coordinated attack by thousands of palestinians?