On Tuesday, dozens of pro-Palestine supported filled Katara Cultural Village’s iconic amphitheater for an event titled “Together Against the War on Gaza”.
More than a month has passed since Israel waged its deadliest war on Gaza in years, destroying what once was a bustling Palestinian enclave and massacring its 2.3 million population.
While eyes around the world have been fixated on the horrifying scenes of an unfolding genocide in Gaza, little has been done to put to an end the suffering of Palestinians on the ground.
Growing anger towards the Zionist regime, coupled with the lack of action has transformed into an unprecedented level of global solidarity with the Palestinian cause. The spike in interest can be credited to journalists in Gaza who have used the power of social media to cross barriers and relay the devastating realities of the Israeli occupation.
Millions have flooded the streets of major capitals cities around the world in recent weeks to demand action from their governments in a desperate bid for a ceasefire. In Qatar, home to a large number of Palestinians forced out of their home during the 1948 Nakba, solidarity rallies have been hosted on an almost weekly basis.
On Tuesday, dozens of pro-Palestine supported filled Katara Cultural Village’s iconic amphitheater for an event titled “Together Against the War on Gaza”.
Vibrant colours of the Palestinian flag were seen waving across the outdoor venue as pro-Palestine chants echoed in the air. Supporters from all religions, nationalities and ages united under one voice calling for justice and freedom of Palestine.
Walking down the stairs of the amphitheater while waving the Palestinian flag, Abderrahim Labidi, a Tunisian national, told Doha News that his attendance at the event was “the bare minimum”.
“Of course, being here is the bare minimum, we have to support our Palestinian brothers. All we can do is to stand by their side and be at such events to express our opinion,” Labidi said.
The Qatar resident spoke passionately about what he described as heartwarming scenes of unity that he said reflects an unwavering commitment to the liberation of Palestine.
“I am happy that I saw a lot of families who came with their children and this is one of the most important points, that we can guarantee that the message will spread to the younger generations,” he said.
Israel’s relentless bombardment of Gaza has continued unabated for 40 days, killing more than 11,300 Palestinians, including more than 4,600 children. Despite global calls for a ceasefire, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) have acted with impunity, targeting hospitals, schools and residential homes- displacing more than one million people.
‘We will not give up’
Since the start of the war, social media platforms have been flooded with disturbing footage of murdered and dismembered Palestinians, including children, and entire areas that have been flattened by the bombardment.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen admitted on Monday that Tel Aviv has come under more global pressure since last month and suggested it has lost its control of the narrative.
“We managed to draw the coverage of the massacre and the difficult images for over a month. But in recent days, the world media mainly shows images from Gaza,” Cohen said.
Nagham Badawi, a Palestinian resident of Qatar, told Doha News that the solidarity rally in Katara on day 39 of the Israeli war serves as proof that the global community will continue to hold Israel accountable.
“This is like a message to tell the people that we will not forget, we will not burn out, we will not just let it go. Everyday, there’s more people killed. Even if it comes after 30 days, even if it comes after 60 days, this is very important to keep reminding the people[…] that we will not give up,” she said.
Badawi added: “It’s been 75 years, we will not give up.”
The people’s voices prevail
The spike in solidarity globally have appeared to highlight a stark difference between the people and government policies worldwide, especially with regards to countries in the region that have recently normalised relations with Israel.
In 2020, the Arab street was shocked after the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed the Abraham Accords, which officially established relations with Israel. Despite global outrage and Palestinians describing the move as a betrayal of their cause, Morocco and Sudan soon followed suit.
Mohammed, a Jordanian resident in Qatar, told Doha News that governments alone do not represent opinions of their people.
“In the past during the [wave of normalisation] we were afraid that the people would have the same intention, but whenever escalations happen we see unity among all Arab populations who constantly side with Palestine, ” Mohammed said.
He added: “This is the least that we can do for Palestine and Gaza[…] to stand with them and support their resistance. Of course, this might not be enough, but at least it shows the public’s opinion and stance, that we are all united for Palestine.”
Earlier this week, reports pointed to divisions within the Arab League after member states failed to come to a consensus on the adoption of “important clauses” in a resolution regarding Israel’s aggression in Gaza.
Sources had told Al Araby Al Jadeed at the time that four “influential countries” in the Arab League had blocked the adoption of a proposal that carried concrete measures against Israel.
The clauses are believed to include prohibiting the use of all military bases in the region that are used to supply Israel with weapons and freezing all Arab relations with the occupying state.
The statement included “threats to leverage oil and Arab economic capabilities to apply pressure and halt the ongoing aggression”, the Qatar-based outlet reported.
It said countries that backed the resolution included: Qatar, Palestine, Syria, Algeria, Tunisia, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait, Oman, Libya and Yemen.
However, it is unclear whether Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Morocco, Jordan, and Egypt voted against or abstained from voting in the resolution. Notably, all the aforementioned countries share diplomatic ties with Israel.
“The Arab meetings and gatherings don’t represent those of the Arab people,” Labidi noted.
