Recap: How the World Showed Solidarity with Gaza After October 7

Enas Wajeeh

The scale of brutality inflicted by Israel over the past year has sparked a global awakening to the severe hardships Palestinians have endured. October 7 marked a crucial turning point, as international solidarity with the Palestinian people, particularly those in Gaza, surged across Western nations. This growing movement has centered around the cause of Palestinian liberation, highlighting the widespread calls for justice.

In the wake of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, which has now persisted for a year, massive global protests have erupted in major cities worldwide. Tens of thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets, demanding an immediate ceasefire and drawing attention to Israeli atrocities against innocent civilians. This unprecedented wave of activism has brought the situation in Gaza to the forefront of international discourse, amplifying the voices calling for an end to the violence.

However, this solidarity has come at a cost for several pro-Palestine celebrities, public figures, and activists who were subjected to smear campaigns, led by Israel and pro-Israeli lobbies, for criticizing the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Pro-Palestine Voices Under Fire

One of the most prominent figures to face attacks is Palestinian-American fashion model Bella Hadid, who has long been an advocate for Palestinian rights, drawing on her own Palestinian heritage. Hadid has been accused of antisemitism due to her vocal stance on Israeli aggression. She has consistently used her platform, particularly Instagram, to raise awareness of the ongoing suffering in Gaza, where Israeli airstrikes and military campaigns have claimed countless lives.

Following the events of October 7, Hadid’s social media posts received widespread attention. On Nakba Day, May 15, she shared a heartfelt message: “As a child of a Nakba survivor, grandchild of grandparents that lived through the Nakba and were never able to return home; today is a day to not only acknowledge the pain & suffering of the Nakba—but to end it. Because still, in 2024, human beings in Palestine are being brutalized, terrorized, tortured, and killed because of not only being Palestinian but also living on the land they have called home for hundreds of years. I am devastated at the loss of the Palestinian people and the lack of empathy coming from the government systems worldwide. Do better for all involved or get out of office.”

Hadid has also been the target of smear campaigns, the most recent being from Adidas. After reiterating her support for Palestine, Adidas cut ties with her, pulling out of an ad campaign that featured her wearing a product linked to the 1972 Olympics. This decision followed fierce criticism from Israeli entities.

Similarly, American singer-songwriter Kehlani Parrish has become a powerful voice in support of Gaza. Since October 7, she has been using her platform to speak out against the atrocities.
During a recent Tiny Desk concert, Parrish paused her performance to deliver a heartfelt message of solidarity, calling for support for oppressed nations, particularly Gaza. “I want to take a second to say free Palestine, free Congo, free Sudan, free Yemen, free Hawaii, free Guam. Beyond a ceasefire, we need an end to the occupation. I need everybody who’s watching to step up and use their voices. Wear your keffiyehs outside, stop and shop at Palestinian businesses, hire Palestinians,” she urged.

Parrish has since revealed that her stance on Palestine has cost her numerous professional opportunities. “I have experienced a lot of pushback,” she explained in an interview. “I’ve experienced a lot of loss… magazines, brand deals, and opportunities that we’re sad to lose, but at the end of the day, I don’t regret doing something that I can go to sleep at night knowing aligns with who I am as an artist.”

In the political arena, British MP Jeremy Corbyn, a long-time advocate for Palestinian rights, has also faced relentless opposition, particularly from Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, which has launched smear campaigns accusing him of antisemitism. Despite these efforts, Corbyn was reelected to Parliament, continuing his outspoken criticism of the British government’s complicity in Israeli war crimes. “There has to be a ceasefire in Gaza,” Corbyn said recently, reiterating his calls for arms embargoes and economic sanctions against Israel.

Pink Floyd founder Roger Waters, another vocal advocate for Palestinian rights, has also come under attack. Waters has long endorsed the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, calling for international pressure on Israel to end its oppression of Palestinians. In a recent interview with Piers Morgan, Waters stated that Israel has fabricated rape allegations to deflect from its war crimes. He also asserted that Palestinians have every right to resist and fight for their homeland, saying, “If someone invades your country, kicks people out of their homes, steals everything, and occupies your land for 75 years, you have an absolute right to armed resistance.”

Following these comments, Israeli media and pro-Israeli groups launched a campaign to smear Waters, exposing the ongoing hypocrisy in Western media outlets that have often echoed the Israeli narrative while downplaying or ignoring the genocide in Gaza.

Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo is another public figure who has used his platform to highlight Israel’s human rights violations. Throughout Israel’s ongoing onslaught on Gaza, Ruffalo has repeatedly called for a ceasefire and condemned the violence. He recently faced backlash for his remarks on social media regarding the killing of Turkish-American activist Aysenur Egan Eygi in the occupied West Bank.

University Students Lead Global Protests

The wave of solidarity hasn’t been confined to celebrities alone. University campuses across the US, UK, and Europe have become hotbeds of pro-Palestine activism. Students have established Gaza Solidarity Encampments on campuses, demanding that their institutions sever ties with Israel and companies complicit in the apartheid system. These students are calling for accountability for Israeli war crimes and an end to military aid to Israel.

Despite their peaceful protests, many universities have responded with hostility, inviting police to clamp down on student activists. Campuses have seen the use of extreme measures, including tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets, in attempts to dismantle protest encampments. Nevertheless, Palestinian university students in Gaza have expressed gratitude for this global support, with senior student Ansam Al-Masri remarking, “The honorable movement through students’ efforts gives us a glimmer of hope that there are people who feel us and see our suffering.”

Meanwhile, the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement has made significant strides. In the United States, numerous cities have divested from companies linked to the Israeli occupation, and in Canada, 20 authors withdrew from the Scotiabank Giller Prize over its sponsors’ ties to Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. Several universities, including San Francisco State, Ontario Tech, and Trinity College Dublin, have also committed to cutting ties with Israeli companies in response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

As the world continues to show solidarity with Gaza, the movement for Palestinian liberation is only growing stronger. From celebrities to students and public figures, the message is clear: justice for Palestine cannot wait.

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