Your say / Palestine
‘We are not intimidated by the rallies and marches in our streets and communal spaces’
As Jews living in Bristol, we would like – in response to Sharon Ross’s opinion piece – to also share our views on pro-Palestinian protests in our city and the recent Palestinian film festival.
We agree with the robust defence of the Bristol Palestinian Film Festival by its trustees and appreciate the light it casts on the life of Palestinians in Israel and the occupied territories.
We are not intimidated by the rallies and marches in our streets and communal spaces and are proud that so many people in Bristol support the struggle for Palestinian freedom.
We support them because we cannot remain silent over the genocidal response of the Israeli state to the October 7 massacre and cannot ignore the decades of Israeli occupation and apartheid.
Dozens of related protests and vigils have taken place in Bristol since October 7, 2023
Israel claims that it acts on behalf of Jews globally.
We reject that claim. Its actions perpetuate an injustice against the Palestinian people, denying their freedom and makes Jews less safe in Israel and in the diaspora.
Finally, while we do not accept the conflation of anti-Zionism with anti-semitisim, we know that real anti-semitism (conspiracy theories, hatred of Jews and murder of Jews) is rising again, alongside Islamophobia and attacks on minoritised communities.
We count on anti-racist solidarity in the UK to fight back.
We too are committed Jews.
Committed to our Jewish identity and to freedom and justice for all people.
This is an opinion piece by Ali Avery, Benny Gamsu, Eva Bechmann-Johnson, Gene Feder, Geraldine Winkler, Jake Colman, Joel Lazarus, Lola Karpf, Michal Nahman, Philippa Winkler, Pia Menzies and Susannah Horowitz, members of Na’amod Bristol ([email protected])
All photos: Rob Browne
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