Photo Resource Just after twelve o’clock, some fifty students and employees gathered to march across the campus in complete silence. The protesters carried candles and signs with texts such as “Palestine will be free”. The goal was to remember all of the innocent Palestinian victims who perished in the last year.
After the march, the group sat in the grass near the encampment. There, everyone could share their thoughts or concerns or a message to the Palestinian people on a small note. The notes were then placed in a bowl of water. ‘Resilience and strength to the Palestinian people’, Matijn, spokesperson for the student protestors, wrote on his note.
One year since the Hamas attack
Today marks one year since the terrorist organisation Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing just under 1200 civilians and soldiers. The attack marked the start of a war between Hamas and Israel, a new chapter in the Middle East conflict that has been going on for decades. Israel responded to the Hamas attack by bombing Gaza, which the protestors feel justifies today’s demonstration.
The fact that several Palestinian protest groups have chosen this day specifically to protest throughout the Netherlands does not sit well with some. VVD leader Dilan Yesilgöz condemned the protests, calling them “in bad taste and really awful” in WNL op Zondag.
‘Worth commemorating’
Encampment spokesperson Yesilgöz’s statements. ‘Israel started bombing Gaza immediately after Hamas’ attack on 7 October. Many innocent civilians have been killed in these airstrikes, which is worth commemorating. We focus on the Palestinian victims today, but there are also many losses on the Israeli side. I believe that today should be about commemorating all victims of the war, on both sides.’
This article was published in De Gelderlander/Daniël Dellink
