Saying no to despair – Barnet Post

Dan Rickman of the British group supporting Palestinians and Israelis working together for peace

People living in Barnet may have noticed a different sort of Israel/Palestine ‘demo’ on our streets over the past few months, with people in purple holding a vigil for peace. This group is UK Friends of Standing Together, a grassroots movement mobilizing Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel in pursuit of peace, equality and social and climate justice.

For many of us, watching the tragic events unfold in Israel/Palestine since October 7th has been traumatic, especially for people who have family and friends in the area. The day itself raised many fears for the Jewish people in Israel and around the world, the subsequent war in Gaza and the ongoing hostage situation in Gaza led to much suffering and continued suffering.

Images of a devastated Gaza and civilian dead and casualties, as well as hostages, along with video footage of the events of 7 October^ththey left us all with truly devastating visual evidence of the violence and destruction involved.

This has understandably led to very strong reactions around the world and increased despair, which may lead to saying that there is no way forward for the Israel/Palestine conflict.

Such thinking, however, only helps extremists on all sides, as they revel in misunderstandings and seeing the other side as less than human. There is a danger that the ‘pro-Palestinian’ and ‘pro-Israeli’ demonstrations will contribute to an ever-polarized debate and a ‘zero-sum’ view of the conflict, where one ‘side’ wins and the other ‘side’ must lose .

Standing Together and support groups around the world say no to such despair. We believe that most people, everywhere, have much more in common than what sets them apart.

Standing Together says on their website: “When we stand together, we are powerful enough to fundamentally change the existing socio-political reality. The future we want – peace and independence for Israelis and Palestinians, full equality for all citizens, and true social, economic and environmental justice – is possible. Because where there is struggle, there is hope”

These are not just wishes, Standing Together recently formed the “Humanitarian Guard” which stopped extremist attacks on aid trucks for Gaza, however much more needs to be done.

We have set up a UK Friends of Standing Together (FOST) to help promote their ideas, and there is a Barnet FOST who hold a vigil every Sunday outside Tesco in Finchley Central. (Sunday 7^th July, we will be with other groups of friends, at a larger rally in Parliament Square).

If you would like to find out more about us and the vital work we do in promoting hope and a way forward, please come and say hello, we welcome the chance to further explain the vital work that Standing Together and other community groups do civilians in Israel/Palestine, are struggling to find a way forward that works for all who live there “from the river to the sea”

You can also email (email protected) or check out our Instagram @standing.together.uk

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