‘Little ray of light’: Hundreds turn out to support Israel in London

Hundreds of Londoners gathered Tuesday night to show support for Israel as the sudden war between the Mideast nation and Hamas in the neighboring Gaza Strip intensified.

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Some came with Israeli flags draped over their backs; others, wearing blue, the national color.

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A crowd of more than 600 – children and the elderly among them – attended the event at the Jewish Community Centre, and more than 100 others joined over Zoom, facilities director Fay Edwards said.

London police were on hand, along with security hired by the Jewish centre.

Serge Volodarsky took in the indoor gathering with his family to show solidarity with Israel, he said.

“We want to show our support because seeing what’s happening in London right now, the rallies yesterday. . . This is the only way for us to show our solidarity with Israel,” he said.

A day earlier in London, a similarly large crowd gathered at Victoria Park in support of Palestineamid horn-honking by passing traffic that could be heard blocks away.

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The two rallies came days into the eruption of full-blown conflict between the militant group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, and Israel. It began with a surprise attack Saturday by Hamas – including rocket fire, and fighters storming into Israel and shooting civilians and seizing hostages – and quickly escalated after Israel declared war, called up military reservists and launched retaliatory air strikes.

Four days into the conflict, an estimated 1,900 people had died on both sides.

Israel has cut off electricity and fuel to Gaza, further isolating the Palestinian enclave of two million on its border that’s already hemmed in by a blockade along the Mediterranean Sea.

Many Western leaders, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have condemned Hamas for the weekend attack that set off the latest bloodshed. But others in the Muslim world and Palestinian circles see the conflict quite differently, as a response to Israeli encroachment and control and the push for a free Palestine.

Omri Filion said he went to Tuesday night’s gathering to show support for Israel and join with others who felt the same.

“It’s pretty simple, really, just being as a community and feeling the losses together and just talking about what we can do to help and support the community,” he said.

Chana Richard said she’s angry and trying to get to Israel to volunteer.

“My two daughters are in the Israeli army. They’re okay, (but) they’re angry and they’re ready to fight. The only place they want to be right now is in Israel,” she said.

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London North Center Liberal MP Peter Fragiskatos, who was at the gathering, said Canada stands with Israel and there is “no justification” for the Hamas attack.

Mayor Josh Morgan said he hopes London can be a “shining example of how to come together and support people in times of tragedy.”

“We empathize with every feeling of hurt and pain,” he said, noting other city council members came to the gathering after a committee meeting Tuesday.

Rob Nagus, executive director of Jewish London, an umbrella group for the Jewish community, said the gathering was a “little ray of light in what’s been a really dark time.”

“I think everyone’s been at home watching this on TV, on their phones, scrolling social media and it’s an incredibly devastating and isolating experience,” he said.

“So, the opportunity for us to come together as a community in person to support each other, to grieve together and provide a little bit of hope, was really meaningful and you can see that by the turnout.”

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