Pro-Palestine protests are expected to continue in Europe despite a US-brokered ceasefire that is set to bring a halt to Israel’s two-year war on Gaza.
Campaigners view the fragile truce deal as a “first step”, but they remain committed to supporting the Palestinian cause. The agreement between Israel and Hamas has not been enough to cause a sea change in the outlook of those involved in mass demonstrations around Europe in the past two years.
They say governments will still be pushed to take more punitive measures against Israel, including sanctions and full arms embargoes.
A planned demonstration in support of Palestine in London on Saturday could be one of its “largest ever”, organisers said, to show opposition to Israel’s occupation of Gaza and plans to annex the West Bank.
"The Trump plan is not a viable path to a lasting ceasefire that would ensure relief for those suffering the genocide and deliver the justice and accountability that are needed after two years of almost unimaginable atrocities," said Ben Jamal, leader of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign which organises the marches.
"The ceasefire deal will not bring an end to Israel’s decades of apartheid and oppression of the Palestinian people. We will continue to campaign to end the complicity of our government, public bodies and corporations with Israel’s crimes under international law," he told The National.
"This temporary ceasefire has to become a permanent agreement that is framed around principles of justice and rights."
Lindsey German, of the Stop the War Coalition, which is involved in organising the protests, said: “While a ceasefire is a first step, justice and freedom for the Palestinians remains our goal.
"Staying in the streets is the best way to continue to fight for an end to the apartheid state, to the genocide and brutality.
"Even if the deal sticks, it will not result in prosecution for those responsible for genocide, it will not right the many injustices begun with the Nakba in 1948.”
This will be the 32nd national march for Palestine in the UK since war broke out in Gaza in October 2023. Hundreds of thousands have joined the demonstrations.
Protesters said their frustration with the government is unlikely to dissipate. “Everyone is so angry now. There is pretty clear widespread consensus that none of our governments did anything to stop it,” said Viola, an arts professional in London who has attended most of the marches, often with her baby.
Some discontent is fuelled by the attempts of successive UK governments to undermine the protest movement. Prime Minister Keir Starmer this week described those who joined demonstrations on October 7 "un-British".
“When I go to a protest, I’m reminded that I’m not mad,” Viola added. "I’m blown away by the amount of people who are there. So many kids, so many old people, people from across sectors, and they’re huge. Why can’t our governments not see what normal people can see clearly."
Doctors who launched a petition for the World Medical Association to suspend ties with its Israeli counterpart also say they have not dropped their demands. The petition has so far received more than 2,500 signatures from doctors in more than 60 countries. Protests outside the WMA's General Assembly in Porto are also planned for Saturday.
Under pressure to do more, the UK government is also hungry for a role in the ceasefire agreed with the Israeli government.
The ruling Labour Party passed a policy motion at its annual conference earlier this month that recognised genocide in Gaza but ministers now face questions over adopting this into the government's policy.
Europe's pathway
Support for the Palestinian cause has also surged in Europe, among a mainstream that may have once been reluctant to take a stance on the subject.
"There has been a fundamental shift in significant parts of public opinion in Belgium and other European countries," said Willem Staes, policy and partnership adviser on the Middle East at 11.11.11, a coalition of Belgian activists.
"People have seen Israeli behaviour for what it is. There is no turning back."
Public pressure played a role in increasing the international community's pressure on Israel to accept a ceasefire, said Haizam Amirah-Fernandez, executive director of the Madrid-based think tank Centre of Contemporary Arab Studies.
Hundreds of thousands of Europeans have protested against Israel's interception of a flotilla bound for Gaza. Spain and Italy, where one million people protested, witnessed the largest gatherings.
The flotilla has upset Israel's allies, as have moves to ban it from the Eurovision Song Contest and its football teams from Uefa competition, fearing it could become a pariah state.
"There was a need to do some damage control and give the impression that the war was over," said Mr Amirah-Fernandez, who expressed scepticism about the recent ceasefire brokered in Egypt. "If flotillas to Gaza continue, that may revive public mobilisation."
Spain, alongside Ireland, has been Europe's most outspoken country on Israel in the past two years. The two countries were the first to call for the European Union to suspend relations with Israel.
Ireland added its name to South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice earlier this year, which sought to prevent breaches of the Genocide Convention by ending the war.
Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon Harris met Ronald Lamola, South African Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, in Dublin this week, holding discussions on how to maintain international pressure on Israel. Both countries have backed the assessment that Israel's war on Gaza constitutes genocide.
"Ireland and South Africa continue to work together on many issues including the urgent need to end the genocide in Gaza," Mr Harris said on social media.
Mr Harris welcomed the ceasefire agreement on Thursday but will continue to push for the EU to adopt a tougher stance on Israel. Leaders in the bloc face their first test at a summit this month, when plans to suspend the association agreement with Israel will be up for a vote.
A move to pause a preferential trade tariff with Israel would be the first co-ordinated EU measure over the Gaza war.
