A ghostly gala, two remote demonstrations: the fate of the Gaza Strip, tirelessly bombed by the Israeli army since the massacre of October 7, 2023, enlivened the Parisian evening on Wednesday, November 13. The celebration of an evening organized in Paris by the far-right pro-Israel association Israel is Forever in support of the Israeli army and in which Bezalel Smotrich, the supremacist Finance Minister of the Netanyahu government, would participate, has warmed spirits on the eve of a match football match between France and Israel, which will take place under strict security measures at the Stade de France on Thursday afternoon.
These events come less than a week after the clashes in Amsterdam, during which Israeli supporters and hooligans, but also Dutch Jewish citizens, were severely harassed in the streets of the Dutch capital, after having participated in provocations and violence against some of them.
The arrival of Smotrich, who openly advocates ethnic cleansing and the annexation of the West Bank, had the effect of a red rag for the pro-Palestinian movement in France, but also for the more liberal elements committed to Jewish peace. community. Despite the cancellation of the visit of the far-right Israeli minister, against whom several organizations and lawyers intended to file a complaint for complicity in torture or genocide, the two demonstrations against the gala organized by Israel is Forever were maintained.
The first, between Saint-Lazare and the Place de la République, brought together parties, unions and traditional associations supporting the Palestinian cause around the Urgence Palestine collective: a few thousand people participated without the crowds being massive.
The second, which did not receive authorization and only brought together a hundred people, brought together associations of the Jewish left and the fight against anti-Semitism, such as Golem, La Paix denow, J-Call, the Network of Actions against Anti-Semitism. -Semitism and All Racisms (RAAR), the Union of Jews for Resistance and Mutual Aid (UJRE) and the Warriors of Peace, which were joined in particular by SOS-Racisme. This was the first time since October 7, 2023 for some of these organizations that had never dared to demonstrate against the Israeli government.
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