Citizens who met in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, on the 4th (local time) were reluctant to describe the situation taking place in the Gaza Strip as a ‘war’. The military power of the Israeli army and the Palestinian armed group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, is not similar, and the Israeli army is carrying out unilateral bombings not only of military facilities but also of civilian residences. An Egyptian who runs a souvenir shop said, “Hamas was wrong to kill Israelis, but Israel, which pours out bombs knowing that more civilians will be hurt, does not seem to fear God.”
Although there is anti-Israeli sentiment in Egypt due to the past large-scale Middle East war with Israel, there has been relatively frequent exchanges on both sides of the border with the Gaza Strip and Israel. Those Egyptians were watching with anxious eyes the news of civilian casualties and threats of escalation of war that were being broadcast every day through broadcasting, saying, “People in other Middle Eastern countries probably think the same way as us.”
As the number of innocent civilian casualties increases, the conflict between Israel and the Arab world is deepening. Recently, a series of anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian protests have been held in Cairo. As tensions continued, large armed police forces were stationed in front of the Israeli and Palestinian embassies in downtown Cairo on the 4th, preparing for possible terrorist threats.
Egyptian authorities have recently taken strong action, including detaining more than 100 participants in unauthorized protests. Participants waved Palestinian flags and condemned, saying, “Israel must ceasefire immediately,” and “Israel must disappear.” In addition, it is not difficult to see Palestinian flags hung in stores, residential areas, and vehicles in solidarity.
Egyptian daily Al-Ahram reported on the 3rd, “This is the largest and most influential anti-Israel boycott movement that has taken place in the Middle East in recent years.” In particular, when McDonald’s Israel announced that it was providing free food to the Israeli military, the boycott spread like wildfire. Companies such as Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Netflix are taking a hit because they have sponsored Israel or have ties to Israel. Famous actors who filmed commercials for related companies also took action by expressing their support for Palestine when they were subjected to ‘comment attacks’ on social media. They said, “We do not believe that a boycott will liberate Palestine, but at least it can show solidarity.”
However, some point out that such a boycott is indiscriminate. Some netizens mentioned a specific company and asked, “Is this an Egyptian brand or a foreign brand?” They are even admonishing foreigners, saying, “You shouldn’t have McDonald’s delivered these days.”
Protests calling for a ceasefire and condemning Israel took place simultaneously throughout Europe, including France, the United Kingdom, and Germany, as well as the United States.
According to Reuters on this day, thousands of protesters in downtown Paris, France chanted, “Doing nothing and saying nothing is collusion.” Reuters reported that this protest is considered the largest legal protest permitted by French authorities since the start of the war on the 7th of last month. Protesters sat blocking the street in Trafalgar Square, London, England. They raised their voices, saying, “Stop truce right now” and “We are all Palestinians.”
On the other hand, pro-Israel rallies are also continuously being held. According to Germany’s DPA news agency on the 3rd, about 20,000 people participated in a protest in Vienna, Austria the previous day, saying ‘against anti-Semitism’ and calling for the ‘release of hostages’ by Hamas. At a rally held at McGill University in Quebec, Canada on the 4th, it was reported that some far-right participants even raised radical slogans such as “Kill more Palestinian children.”
Conflicts also appear to be intensifying in American universities and the media. Cornell University issued an emergency closure policy due to intensifying conflicts on campus. A New York Times (NYT) reporter signed a statement criticizing Israel’s attack on the Palestinian Gaza Strip as an attempt at genocide, but resigned after being pointed out that he violated NYT policy. The statement also criticized the NYT editorial that conditionally supported Israel’s retaliatory attack.
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.