Leaders of the UK’s Jewish community have spoken out against a demonstration taking place in London’s Trafalgar Square on Saturday calling for Israel and the European Union to “stop starving Palestinians, recognise Palestinian democracy and end the occupation”.

A number of trade unions, including the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education (NAFTHE), the largest university and college trade union in the UK, and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) are supporting the pro-Palestinian demonstration.

The rally is organised by a host of groups including the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, a pro-Palestinian non-governmental organisation, the Palestine Return Centre and Friends of Al-Aqsa.

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Sad situation

Alan Aziz, director of the British Zionist Federation, branded the situation “sad”.

He said: “It is sad that people’s understanding of the conflict is so limited. Israel has probably done more for the Palestinian people than all the Arab nations of the world put together, but it will only be through peaceful dialogue that the Palestinian people will improve their way of life.”

The event will begin at noon with a march from Embankment, near the Houses of Parliament, to Trafalgar Square where a number of speakers, including trade union leaders, will address participants.

Speakers include Labour MP and pro-Palestinian activist Jeremy Corbyn, Azzam Tamimi, who in a BBC interview in November 2004, said he does not recognise Israel’s right to exist and would become a suicide bomber, and Fathi Khirat, a Palestinian member of Stop The Wall: Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign.

Adam Hug, research manager at the Trade Union Friends of Israel, claimed that the UK’s workers unions should make efforts to protect the rights of Palestinians.

“We believe the British Trade Union movement has an important role to play to work with fellow trade unionists and moderates, in both Israel and Palestine, to support efforts to reinvigorate the peace process and protect workers rights,” Hug said. “It is important that trade union support is based on the principle that both peoples have the right to self-determination and to live with peace and security.”

“Propaganda that seeks to demonise rather than engage will not help further the cause of peace, Palestinian self-determination or Israeli security.”

Anti-Israel flyers

Supporting the accusation that Israel has decided to strengthen the economic blockade of the Palestinians, a senior advisor to the Israeli Prime Minister, Dov Weissglas, is quoted, making a “joke” on flyers for the demo, “It is like an appointment with a dietician, the Palestinians will get a lot thinner but won’t die.”

Flyers also urge people to write to Members of Parliament and Members of the European Parliament, stating, “The Palestinian people need your help” as “Israel’s brutal occupation of the Palestinian people is creating a humanitarian crisis”.

And they call on Israel to “dismantle the ‘Apartheid Wall’, abide by international law and recognise the democratically elected Palestinian government” and while they do not call for the Hamas government to recognise Israel’s right to exist, they call to “acknowledge Palestine’s right to exist”.

Betty Hunter, general secretary of the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, said: “The rally comes at a very crucial time, we want to make people aware of the humanitarian crisis the Palestinian people face as a result of Israel’s aggressive policies, ignoring international law and convincing western governments to turn their backs on the human rights of the Palestinians.”