The atrocities committed by Hamas on 7 October have been revealed in their terrible savagery. There are accounts of dead babies, their bodies riddled with bullets, entire families burnt alive in their homes, women and girls raped and killed. Bodies tortured and mutilated beyond recognition. Israelis thought that the world would finally recognise Hamas for what it truly is; an Islamist terror organisation seeking to destroy Israel. It did not.
Since the war started, there has been an explosion of anti-Israel and anti-Jewish hatred. Although Western leaders and large proportions of the public were shocked by Hamas’s atrocities and expressed support for Israel, the streets of London, Paris, Toronto and other major cities, were filled with tens of thousands of demonstrators chanting angrily and holding placards with slogans that were anti-Israel and, in some cases, anti-Jewish.
Jewish students have faced rising levels of antisemitism in universities in the UK and US. The Community Security Trust, which monitors antisemitic incidents, reported a 633 per cent rise in incidents in the UK, including assaults and threats.
Too many demonstrators marching in solidarity with Palestinians fail to see the distinction between Hamas and ordinary people in Gaza
Many Jews in Britain see pro-Palestinian marches, such as the one due to take place in London today, and are afraid. However, those who are most vocal about their pro-Palestinian attitudes are failing the very people they are trying to support. Although Hamas has manage to establish itself to the outside world as the ‘protector’ of Palestinians, recent public opinion polls paint a drastically different picture.
Arab Barometer, a research network that conducts opinion polls across the Arab world, found in a poll carried out on 6 October – a day before the attack – that 67 per cent of Gazans have little or no ltrust in Hamas. The same poll found that 72 per cent thought Hamas’s government institutions were corrupt. Only 24 per cent said they would vote for Hamas if elections were held. Most Gazans attributed food shortages to internal problems and only 16 per cent blamed external factors, like sanctions, for this. Perhaps most crucially, 73 per cent favoured a peaceful solution with Israel. This differs greatly from Hamas’s ‘from the river to the sea’ vision that pro-Palestinian demonstrators love to chant.
Gazans are clearly unhappy with Hamas, whose attack started a war that has had devastating consequences for them. Many people in Gaza want to live in peace and safety in a Palestinian state alongside Israel; this is a situation that could provide economic stability and prosperity.
But too many demonstrators marching in solidarity with Palestinians fail to see the distinction between Hamas and ordinary people in Gaza. Blinded by hatred of Israel, they appear not to realise that not all Palestinians hold similar views and have identical interests.
As a result, pictures of thousands of people marching against Israel and in solidarity with Palestinians are an encouragement for Hamas. Protestors in many cases don’t realise it, but such images empower the extremists and, by doing so, simply encourage a continuation of war and bloodshed. This plays straight into the hands of Iran, who share Hamas’s goals and seek to destabilise the Middle East.
The progressive left also ignores Hamas’s suppression of women and gays, its disregard for human rights and indiscriminate violence. They ignore its exploitation of Palestinians by grabbing aid intended for civilians and using it for warfare, and using innocent people as human shields. They ignore the founding principles of Hamas that advocate for the killing of Jews. And they also marginalise the will of the people of Gaza.
Behind the hollow slogans that will, once again, be seen on the streets of London today, lies a superficial and simplistic view of the Israel-Palestine conflict. The reality is that this is a situation in which both sides carry some of the blame. Yet all too often, Israel alone is vilified.
Earlier this month, Israel was the victim of an unimaginable terrorist attack, and yet, in the mind of some demonstrators, it is the Jewish state that is guilty. In a world of villains, all too often Israel – which, as with other countries, has a right to defend itself, is singled out.
Make no mistake: Hamas is a murderous terror organisation that forms a part of a global Islamic jihad. Many now see it for what it is. Some never will. And those marching on the streets of London again today should remember that such shows of support play into the hands of Hamas – and risk betraying the very Palestinians they are hoping to support.
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