Europe’s Protests Ignite: Has It Become the Beating Heart of Arab Solidarity?
NYN | Reports and Analyses
As the Israeli war machine continues its massacres against civilians in the Gaza Strip, European capitals are witnessing scenes that starkly contrast with the positions of their own governments. Just yesterday, several European cities saw massive demonstrations denouncing genocide and calling for an immediate end to the aggression—despite repression and arrests in some countries.
In the British capital, London, police arrested 25 protesters participating in a march against the assault on Gaza, citing “disturbance of public order.” Meanwhile, activists circulated shocking footage of German police violently assaulting pro-Palestinian demonstrators during a protest in Berlin, prompting widespread human rights criticism over violations of freedom of expression and peaceful protest.
In Stockholm, Sweden’s capital, activists organized a massive protest where banners were raised calling for an end to the “genocide being committed by the Israeli enemy,” reaffirming humanitarian solidarity with the besieged civilians in Gaza.
In Brussels, the capital of Belgium, a demonstration was held under the slogan: “From Brussels to Gaza… We Are All with the Resistance.” Palestinian flags were flown high, and chants rang out rejecting international complicity and the silence of Western institutions in the face of the ongoing atrocities.
Arab Silence: Normalization Without Memory
In contrast to the European public movement, the Arab street appeared far more subdued, with a near-total absence of large-scale demonstrations or popular mobilization. This reflects a widespread sense of frustration, as several Arab regimes have openly pursued normalization with Israel.
Observers point out the stark contradiction: people are rising up in countries with no historical involvement in the Arab-Israeli conflict, while some Arab regimes are making peace agreements with a state they have never fought—abandoning their historical and religious responsibilities toward Palestine.
In this context, Oman’s Grand Mufti, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Khalili, remarked:
“The rush by some states to normalize relations with the Israeli enemy—while acknowledging its eventual demise—is astonishing.”
He added in widely debated comments:
“Normalizing with a barbaric entity that feeds on the remains of innocent victims is a grave mistake. It rewards the enemy for killing our brothers in blood and faith.”
Al-Khalili emphasized that such a course of action represents not just a betrayal of rights, but “a profound moral collapse that exposes its proponents before history and the nation.”
The People’s Voice Rises… and Official Betrayal Grows
These protests underscore that global popular awareness remains alive in the face of ongoing atrocities, even as governments attempt to enforce political narratives disconnected from the public conscience.
As the gap between the street and the ruling powers widens, Palestine today stands as a mirror—reflecting the deep moral divide between peoples and their governments, both East and West.
