What are the people "Marching" in London every Saturday realistically hoping to achieve?

[Flapjacker48]

It won't change UK government policy. It won't result in a ceasefire in Gaza. It won't magically resolve the situation in Palestine.

Same as all the other big marches - War in Iraq etc. Changed nothing.

If the banners and chants are anything to go by, it's an outlet for a lot of Islamist sentiment and Anti-Semitism that's been brewing for years now. I'm sure a lot of people marching have no idea what they're aligning themselves with.

Well I am not Jewish and it certainly feels like that to me.

I find the actions of a lot of the pro Palestinians absolutely disgusting

The marches are to show solidarity against the massacre of children and innocent civilians. They are not a demonstration against Jews or Hamas. The vast majority of people have hit the protests in thousands for one reason only, and that is because they are against the Israeli government’s massacre of children and innocent civilian in their quest to eliminate Hamas. End of.

Absolutely agree with this.

Absolutely agree with this, is what I mean. Well said.

@2boys1princess then, as per my post above, if that is what the ‘vast majority’ of people are there for, why are they not holding signs expressing that sentiment? Alongside presumably a call for the return of the Israeli children currently held hostage by Hamas?

I really do want to give the vast majority of people the benefit of the doubt, but seeing those protests week after week and what the signs say, and what the speakers holding microphones say, the idea that the main thing motivating ‘the vast majority’ is concern for innocent children… it’s beginning to stretch credulity, to put it mildly.

Some posters here can't actually imagine being humane enough to go on a march for victims of genocide.

Either that or they're just wasting our time.

Have you not seen the posters that state “stop killing children?” “Stop the genocide”. How bizarre. I’ve seen some of these marches and I can tell you there are plenty of posters on the matter.

@2boys1princess Yep I’ve seen the signs - I live in London - and the vast majority seem concerned with only one set of children and one type of genocide. The stated genocidal aim of Hamas towards Jews … I haven’t seen that condemned on any sign, unless these people are all extremely bad at expressing themselves. Nor have I seen any signs about the Israeli children held hostage. Maybe I’m missing them all?

also posters and banners that say “cease fire”.
why is it hard to believe that the majority of the human race has moral standards that can never justify the killing of children.
Jews in thousands have hit demonstrations and protests in Israel against the Israeli government and IDF. If you look at the images, the Jews in Israel are holding the Palestinian flag to show solidarity. Anyone who attends the protests whether here or in Israel understand that Jews are not the enemy as the vast majority of Jews are horrified by the loss of children’s lives. People know that all jews don’t share the same zionist ideology.

Right. And marching because it wasn't fair emboldened people not to pay it. Nothing exists without context does it.

@2boys1princess

Can you clarify what you mean by "Zionist"? Because the definition of Zionism is a right for the Jewish people to have a homeland and self determination. What's your problem with that?

@2boys1princess the Jews protesting in Israel are not holding vile signs with swastikas like some of the ones I saw on display in London yesterday.

I’d also suggest you look up the meaning of the word ‘Zionist’ - it means support for a Jewish homeland and almost all of the Jews protesting in Israel are Zionists, they’re protesting against Netanhayu and the current war, in a respectful yet critical way. This is not what is happening in London

I'm sure a lot of people marching have no idea what they're aligning themselves with.

I don't think anyone can claim ignorance of it at this stage. I don't give people the benefit of the doubt any more.

Where is the UN evidence please? Do you have a verifiable source for this?

I agree @ScribblingPixie, I did really want to give marchers benefit of doubt in the first couple of weeks but I’m done.

if people care that much about suffering in Gaza and a Palestinian state, it shouldn’t be too much trouble to organise a separate demonstration that is humane and respectful and doesn’t make Jewish people terrified. If people can’t even be arsed to craft a well-worded sign, I don’t see why I should assume good intentions.

@2boys1princess Okay I’m done - I see that you actually don’t even believe the 7 Oct massacres happened? On the plus side, this does explain why you have no sympathy for Israel. On the minus side, I’m reporting your post as I imagine many others will now too.

so who were the British striking against?

You were the one who made the distinction not me.
The protests were against the British strikes not against the Russians because the protesters were British. What’s the point in protesting against what the Russians do if you’re British?

@2boys1princess

What a despicable post! This is exactly the problem; that compassion can only run one way. Hamas committed atrocities. Your minimising of those atrocities tells us all we need to know about your concern for peace.

I know what Zionism is and know there are many anti Zionist Jews. Not all the Jews are in support of claiming a piece of land that belonged to someone else. So, not all Jews are zionists. Many don’t want the land as they believe it goes against their beliefs and teaching of the Torah. Many Orthodox Jews don’t believe they have a right to Israel. They actively want to free Palestine and against a secular state of Israel.

Where have I said the atrocities of the 7th didn’t happen? I’ve clearly stated in my post that Hamas are a terrorist group that killed civilians but so are the Israeli government too. But what some posters are doing is ignoring the very obvious massacre of thousands of Palestinian children despite the outpouring of images and videos showing the genocide.

@2boys1princess Ah so you believe the massacre happened but you chose not to believe the bit about beheading of babies? How nice. Happily your post has been deleted now so no-one else will have to see it.

@2boys1princess

"I know what Zionism is and know there are many anti Zionist Jews. Not all the Jews are in support of claiming a piece of land that belonged to someone else. So, not all Jews are zionists. Many don’t want the land as they believe it goes against their beliefs and teaching of the Torah. Many Orthodox Jews don’t believe they have a right to Israel. They actively want to free Palestine and against a secular state of Israel."

So you don't believe that Israel has a right to exist? You want Israelis to just disappear? Your view is extremist. Bye now.