Global Protests Demand an End to the War in the Middle East

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Clashes between pro-Palestinian supporters and police erupted in several American and European cities on the first anniversary of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

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On the eve of the first anniversary of the offensive on Gaza, protests involving thousands of demonstrators against the Israeli military campaign in the region swept through several major cities worldwide. These demonstrations expressed concern over the escalating conflict in the Middle East and demanded an end to the bloodshed.

Around 40,000 demonstrators took part in a march in central London, while thousands more gathered in Paris, Rome, Manila, Cape Town, and New York City. Protests were also held near the White House in Washington, D.C., to oppose U.S. support for its ally Israel in the military campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon.

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In New York’s Times Square, protesters chanted slogans such as “Gaza and Lebanon will rise, and the people are with you,” while holding signs calling for a ban on arms exports to Israel.

The latest chapter in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict erupted after fighters led by Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023. This attack resulted in 1,200 deaths and the taking of 250 hostages, according to Israeli statistics.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that the subsequent Israeli military campaign had killed nearly 42,000 Palestinians, with almost the entire population of 2.3 million displaced.

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In Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital and the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, at least 1,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered near the U.S. Embassy on Sunday morning, demanding that Washington stop supplying weapons to Israel. More protests are scheduled to take place in various cities on Sunday.

In London on Saturday, pro-Israel supporters waved flags as pro-Palestinian protesters marched by. The police reported arresting 15 people during the protests but did not specify which group they belonged to.

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In Rome, police used tear gas and water cannons after clashes erupted. About 6,000 protesters defied a ban on demonstrations in the city center ahead of the October 7 anniversary.

In Berlin, a protest drew around 1,000 participants carrying Palestinian flags and chanting “One year of genocide,” a term Israel opposes, saying it is defending itself. Protesters also criticized what they said was police violence against pro-Palestinian supporters in Germany.

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Pro-Tel Aviv demonstrators also gathered in Berlin to protest against the rise of anti-Semitism, with scuffles breaking out between police and opponents of the pro-Palestinian protests.

Over the past year, the scale of killing and destruction in Gaza has sparked some of the largest global protests in years, in a wave of anger that Israel’s defenders say has created an anti-Semitic climate.

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The Gaza war has expanded across the region, drawing in groups and factions allied with Iran in Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq. Israel has sharply escalated its campaign against the Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah group in recent weeks, and Iranian forces fired a barrage of rockets at Tel Aviv last week.

In Paris, Lebanese-French protester Houssam Hussein said, “We fear a regional war because there are tensions with Iran right now, and maybe with Iraq and Yemen,” adding, “We really need to stop the war because its burden has become unbearable.”

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While Israel’s allies, like the United States, say they support its right to self-defense, the Israeli government faces widespread international condemnation for its actions in Gaza, and now for bombing Lebanon.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the criticism, stating that his government’s handling of the war aims to prevent a repeat of the Hamas attack nearly a year ago. Washington says it supports Israel’s right to defend itself.

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On Friday, U.S. government agencies warned that the anniversary of the Hamas attacks on October 7 could prompt individuals to commit acts of violence. Officials in some states, including New York, have heightened security measures out of caution.

In Manila, activists clashed with riot police after being blocked from holding a protest outside the U.S. Embassy in the Philippine capital, protesting Washington’s support for Israel.

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