Peaceful Demonstrations Against Apartheid: Uniting for Justice and De-escalation

2023-10-11 13:29:00

A broad coalition of civil society calls for demonstrations for peace and once morest “apartheid”. Another organization calls to join the demonstration with a much more radical statement. This is Samidoun. This applauds the Hamas offensive which left nearly a thousand dead and asks to come “support the armed resistance”.

A group of associations calls for demonstrations for peace and once morest “apartheid”. ©DR

This concomitance of struggles pushed certain organizations to withdraw from the event. The FGTB announced to us this followingnoon that it was withdrawing from the demonstration. “In view of the risks of recovery by groups with which we do not wish to be associated, the Centrale Générale FGTB has decided to withdraw from the action,” Geoffrey Goblet, secretary general, communicates to us.

The first call to demonstrate was launched by the Belgian-Palestinian Association. He speaks of a “ceasefire”, calls for a just peace and presents himself “ once morest colonial violence and apartheid”.

This appeal was signed by various associations, such as Agir pour la Paix, AWSA-Be (Arab Women’s Solidarity Association – Belgium), BA4P, CNAPD, Comac, Palestinian Community in Belgium and Luxembourg, Ecolo J, Een Andere Joodse Stem (EAJS ), Anti-capitalist Left, Intal, JAC, Young FGTB, FGTB (General Central), Young Socialist Movement, Palestina Solidariteit, Cultural Presence and Action (PAC), Pro-JeuneS, Solsoc, Union of Jewish Progressives of Belgium (UPJB), Viva Salud, Vrede vzw.

The visual for this demonstration has already provoked outraged reactions because it makes no mention of the Hamas terrorist attack which left nearly a thousand dead in Israel. If the message on the press release inviting the event is a little more nuanced, since it speaks of “violence directed once morest civilians, whether Palestinian or Israeli”, the message communicated by the poster creates a certain unease among participating organizations.

The Young Socialist Movement (MJS) tells us that it did not agree to its logo appearing on the poster.

This message is, however, obscured by the irruption of Samidoun. This organization presents the Hamas terrorist attack as an act of resistance. “Glory to the martyrs! Victory for the Palestinian resistance! Long live the struggle for return and liberation, from the river to the sea!”, she wrote on Facebook.

Israel – Palestine: the war of words rages in Belgium

Its invitation visual includes a message in Arabic. Translated, it says this: “Come support the ARMED resistance”. “How was this approved?” asks the Israeli Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium, Mrs. Idit Rosenzweig-Abu.

“Samidoun is trying to join the demonstration without the agreement of the co-organizers,” explains the UPJB, the Progressive Union of Jews of Belgium. This is “the reason she created a separate Facebook event.” “The UPJB has no connection with this and can only strongly condemn comments where words like “Glory to the martyrs” appear.”

Same statement from EcoloJ. “This organization has no connection with us. We do not subscribe to their message at all. We have nothing to do with this organization.”

All the organizations signing the call to demonstrate unambiguously condemn the actions of Hamas and say they are horrified. They declare that they are coming together to demand a de-escalation of violence and ensure the protection of civilian populations.

For a question of timing, the demonstration is not authorized, but only tolerated.

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