The activists at Led By Donkeys have just brought an essential message to Parliament Square.
Amid the ongoing genocide denialism of Keir Starmer’s government, and its steadfast commitment to the country committing genocide, Led By Donkeys took action to remind people of the horror of what Israel has been doing in Gaza.
Led by Donkeys highlight Israel’s genocide
Israel’s 13-month assault on Gaza has so far resulted in over 44,000 Palestinian deaths including over 17,500 children.
So, Led By Donkeys highlighted the words of a Holocaust Studies professor from Israel, Amos Goldberg, who has called Israel’s actions genocide. He said:
For nearly 30 years I have researched and taught the Holocaust, genocide and state violence./And I want to tell whoever is willing to listen that what’s happening now in Gaza is a genocide.
He added:
if you read Raphael Lemkin – the Jewish-Polish legal scholar who coined the term ‘genocide’ and was the major driving force behind the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention – what is happening in Gaza now is exactly what he had in mind when he spoke about genocide.
We implore everyone to listen to the whole speech.
"And once you come to this conclusion you cannot remain silent."
Location: Parliament Square, London (sound on) pic.twitter.com/rvskZgqgR3
— Led By Donkeys (@ByDonkeys) December 4, 2024
This week, however, the government has doubled down on its refusal of reality. Because Keir Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves and other government figures went to a fancy ‘Labour Friends of Israel’ lunch. And they were happy to be in the company of Israeli ambassador Tzipi Hotovely, who previously claimed that all of Gaza’s buildings – “every school, every mosque, every second house” – were legitimate targets for Israeli occupation forces.
After fourteen months of genocide in Gaza, Keir Starmer was the guest of honour at Labour Friends of Israel's annual lunch this week. pic.twitter.com/vSOgvrA7hY
— Declassified UK (@declassifiedUK) December 2, 2024
From @LindaSayle: “Keir Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Pat McFadden, Lucy Powell, Steve Reed, Ellie Reeves, Jonny Reynolds & Peter Kyle – all went to a lunch hosted by Labour Friends of Israel … happy to sit with Tzipi Hotovely & pledge their support for genocidal Israel” pic.twitter.com/HuQCMLfnOM
— Ben Sellers (@MrBenSellers) December 4, 2024
Keir Starmer & other cabinet ministers had lunch this week with Tzipi Hotovely, Israeli
Ambassador, at Labour Friends of Israel annual gathering
This is her just under a year ago calling for the destruction of Gaza
It is genocidal hate speech that should see her expelled pic.twitter.com/3OP2WOCYCR
— Howard Beckett (@BeckettUnite) December 3, 2024
Of course, right-wing outlet the Telegraph jumped on Led by Donkeys’ protest as being “anti-Israel”. It said that “a huge anti-Israel banner was unfurled outside Parliament by pro-Palestinian protesters on Wednesday”. The Telegraph even thought it appropriate to go to renowned far-right political party Reform for comment.
In reality, Led By Donkeys were merely reflecting the facts about the situation – as was Goldberg. Clearly, that’s too much to stomach for some:
Featured image via screengrab
By Ed Sykes
This post was originally published on Canary.