I’m writing regarding a recent post on Instagram and how Jewish voices are completely ignored on the issue of Palestinian flags flying in East London.
Where does history begin? Not on October 7th 2023 or even in 1948. I have a mixed Jewish and Muslim background and have always had a lot of sympathy for the Palestinian cause and I do currenly have a lot of sympathy for the residents of Gaza. I don’t think that the Israeli government is doing the right thing.
I would wager that most Jewish people don’t agree with the Israeli government right now. But they also don’t agree with, and feel frightened by the nonchalant attitude towards the raising of Palestinian flags around London.
To many Jewish people this flag is not representative of the people suffering in Gaza, but of the people in charge of the country who explicitly demand that Jews be wiped off the face of the Earth. So it is quite upsetting to know that the flags are actually raising the spirits of other Londoners.
This flag means different things to different people. If you aren’t Jewish then you may not be able to understand what the flag represents to Jewish people.
We can support the people in Gaza and express our dislike of what the Israeli government are doing but I would really like to ask for people to try for a minute to understand what that flag represents to Jews and how flying it legitimises many voices of severe anti-semitism.
These aren’t just people who don’t like Jews, they are people who want to kill Jews. If you are not Jewish then please understand that whilst seeing these flags may make you feel proud, there is a community in this city for whom they represent the ultimate threat.
Anonymous