22 Jan 2022; MEMO: Hundreds of protesters demonstrated in front of the Israeli embassy in London yesterday calling for an end to the demolition of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem. The protest in solidarity with residents of Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood was organised by the Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB), Friends of al Aqsa (FOA), Muslim Association in Britain (MAB), CND, Palestinian Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and Stop the War coalition.
The PFB's speaker, Salem Nusseibah, conveyed his organisation's rejection of the British government's complicity in the ongoing ethnic cleansing in Sheikh Jarrah: "It is upon us to say no to our government's policy, to say no to Boris Johnson…no to neo-colonialism."
In his address, Shabbir Lakka, of Stop the War, emphasised that the forced demolitions and evictions in Sheikh Jarrah constitute a pattern of "ethnic cleansing." He added that ethnic cleansing is central to Zionism and that "it was a process begun by the British mandate and carries on today."
A national officer from the National Education Union (NEU), Louise Regan, said in her statement: "It is disgraceful that the residents of Sheikh Jarrah are arrested, injured and that their homes are destroyed," and that "NEU will continue to pressure our government to hold Israel accountable for its actions".
The chair of the PSC, Kamel Hawwash, highlighted his personal connection to the current ethnic cleansing in Sheikh Jarrah: "One of the homes threatened in Sheikh Jarrah is my cousin so it is a very personal issue." He described the destruction of the Salhiah family home "the most appalling act".
The protest, despite the cold weather, and despite the rapid speed with which it was organised, was well attended, with the protestors making their support for Sheikh Jarrah unmistakably clear.
