TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Hundreds of thousands of people in various major European cities held massive protests on May 15 to commemorate Nakba Day, the day when more than 700,000 Palestinians were expelled from their homeland after the establishment of Israel in 1948.
As reported by Anadolu and Al Jazeera on Sunday, the protest was also a condemnation of Israel's brutal attacks on the Gaza Strip. Activists said that history was repeating itself today in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
In Stockholm, thousands of people crowded Odenplan Square at the invitation of several civil society organizations.
Demonstrators carried Palestinian flags, photos of children killed in the attacks, and banners with the words “Stop the Zionist regime’s genocide in Palestine.”
Some participants held posters with the names of civilians killed in Gaza to draw attention to the ongoing humanitarian tragedy.
Jewish activist from Sweden, Dror Feiler, called Israel's attacks in Gaza a form of genocide and urged for an immediate halt to the action.
Feiler also criticized Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard for remaining silent about the atrocities.
Pastor Ann Christin Kristiansson from the Swedish Church supported Feiler's statement. To Anadolu, she stated that ending the violence must be achieved through organized civilian resistance, not through military force.
She emphasized that Israel's attacks targeted women, children, and civilians, not resistance fighters. She believed that a political solution based on international law was urgently needed.
Meanwhile, in London, hundreds of thousands of people gathered and marched to Downing Street, the office of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. They demanded an end to Israel's genocide against the people of Gaza, coinciding with the 77th anniversary of Nakba.
The crowds wore keffiyehs or traditional Palestinian scarves, carried Palestinian flags, and chanted slogans such as: "Stop the genocide in Gaza," "Free Palestine," and “Israel is a terror state.”
The protesters also denounced the Israeli blockade that has caused more than two million Palestinians in Gaza to suffer from hunger.
They accused the British government of being complicit by supporting Israel militarily and politically.
Several prominent figures attended, including The Crown actor Khalid Abdalla, actress Juliet Stevenson, and former U.S. diplomat and military officer Ann Wright.
Palestinian Ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot, stated that genocide had been ongoing for 77 years, not just due to the recent escalation.
He also highlighted the destruction of his hometown in Gaza and the dire humanitarian conditions, where aid is obstructed and famine is widespread, even affecting doctors, journalists, and volunteers.
Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and Member of Parliament Apsana Begum condemned the UK government's arms export policy and the blockade against the Palestinian people.
Chair of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Ben Jamal, stated that political leaders would be remembered by history for failing to stop their support for Israel's military atrocities.
Hundreds of people also gathered at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, Germany, to commemorate Nakba and condemn Israel's attacks on Gaza.
The masses carried Palestinian flags and banners with the words “Your silence is complicity” and "You cannot kill us all." Security forces closely monitored the event, and at least three people were detained.
The event took place amid tight security measures, with at least three people reported to have been detained. Germany is a major supporter of Israel in Europe and considers support for Palestine a crime.
In Amsterdam, the Netherlands, thousands of people gathered in Dam Square to voice their rejection of Israeli violence and commemorate the Nakba tragedy.
Mohammed Kotesh emphasized that the ongoing genocide is escalating, and urged for the lifting of the Gaza blockade to allow humanitarian aid to enter without obstruction. He stated that Gaza is on the verge of a new Nakba.
Banners carried by participants read: "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," "End the occupation," "Stop the genocide," "Boycott Israel," and "Shame on you."
In Athens, Greece, a solidarity action was held to commemorate the 77 years of Nakba. Participants marched carrying Palestinian flags and wearing keffiyehs, heading towards the U.S. and Israeli embassies.
The chair of the Greek Muslim Association, Naim el-Ghandour, suggested that a global meeting led by Turkey should be held to promote peace. He believed that international pressure could stop the war and diplomatically isolate Israel.
Muhammed el-Batta, a Gaza resident present at the event, stated that this violence was not a war, but a genocide that has been ongoing for 80 years and is now entering its final phase.
He stated that the violence is escalating as Israel attempts to empty Gaza of its Palestinian residents.
What is Nakba?
May 15 is commemorated as Nakba Day, or the "Great Disaster," which refers to the mass expulsion of over 700,000 Palestinians from their cities and villages in 1948, following the establishment of Israel.
Israeli brutality has continued, with the Israeli military killing 53,272 Palestinians and injuring 120,673 since launching attacks on October 7, 2023, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The Government Media Office updated the death toll to over 61,700 people, noting that thousands still missing under the rubble are presumed dead.
Most of the casualties are women and children.
Last November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli authority leaders Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense chief Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide lawsuit at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its aggression against the Gaza Strip.
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