Just returned from trafalgar square:
The pro-Israel rally in trafalgar square has been attended by thousands of supporters, driven in on coaches from all over the country. Clearly a lot of money is behind this rally, which had a large auditorium at its centre,a nd with thousands of Israeli Flags and banners given out to the crowd.
What had been billed as non-political rally was clearly the opposite with many banners laying claim to Israel's right to the occupied territories, and with invited speakers including Binjamin Netanyahu who is much to the right of Sharon, and has been urging a tougher policy against the Palestinians. This was clearly a rally which chose to ignore the most obvious facts about the situation in the middle east: occupation; repression; human rights abuses; settlement building (which has doubled since the Oslo accords); and the denial of Palestian rights of any kind. All swept aside with a blanket attack on 'terror'.
The only alternatives were the two counter demonstrations: one by very brave 'Jews Against Occupation' less than a hundred with placards standing on the steps of St. Martin in the Fields, and receiving plenty of abuse by aggressive pro-Israelis. At the other end of the square, by Pall Mall was a smallish demonstration by pro-Palestinian muslim groups (a couple of hundred). And there was the twenty or so ultra-orthodox Jews with placards critcising Israel and zionism and complete opposites to Judaism at the Whitehall corner of the square.
It is a shame that more people did not come out to demonstrate agains Netanyahu's presence, given his record of repression in the occupied territories when he was prime minister.
A day of shame on all those who unthinkingly gave in to the myths and strategies used by the pro-Israeli propaganda machine. Peace without terror, read the rally banner head. But no mention of justice, or repression, or the woman and her two children on the way to a nursery school in Tulkarm yesterday who were shot dead by Israeli soldiers (today's Independent).
There is a pro-Palestinian rights demonstration on the 18th May, be there and put these people to shame.

Easily 40,000 plus at the Israel Solidarity Rally. Really positive atmosphere with lots of families and a real mix of people from all levels of society. The central message was 'Yes to Peace No to terror'. The tiny but Aggresive Palestinian counter demo could be heard during minutes silence to the victims of terror with screams of 'alu akbar' ringing out. Shame on them, shame on them.

There were people from both the right and left of Israeli politics (Netanyahu and Ben Ami), and from Labour and Conservatives, and from Christian and Jewish representatives. It was a shame there was no muslim representation but i suppose as the rally was geared to promoting peace instead of terror, this was impossible.

Does any one know a Palestinian who could lead a country. He would need to stop giving TNT to young kids, men and women to go and blow civilians up and would actually care about his citizens rather than destroying any future for them. He wouldn't lie to the Western media that he honestly wants peace whilst he calls in Arabic for a million martyrs to blow up the Jews. Also preferred candidates wouldn't crush any political opposition to them and it would be desired that they don't have Parkinsons disease. Please send in applications asap because if changes aren't made soon the chance may be gone forever.

I was actually quite shocked after stopping to speak to a few of the Jewish people attending the rally today. There really didn't seem to be much calling for peace at all, rather just support for the Isreali State. I spoke with one woman who had a plackard calling for unbiased media reporting for Isreal in the UK media. I asked her what she was complaining about and she stated the fact that the Palestinians are portrayed as victims and the Israeli deaths are unreported. I don't know what planet she was from, but whatever side you're on, you'd be hard pressed to find evidence to support the idea that the western media had ignored Israeli victims of terrorism.
She went on to say how "there would be no peace as long as an Arab woman hates the Jews more than she loves her children". I have to admit I was speechless at this statement. I expected better of a seemingly well educated young woman.
Calling today's rally 'un-political' is also misleading. With the type of speakers present, it was anything but. As a non-jewish, non-muslim person I was sickened by the statements and blatant propoganda lies being bandied around.
I am sorry, I don't understand this inability to criticise or accept criticism of the State of Israel on the part of the UK Jewish community. How the Sharon has behaved is unacceptable, and I would have thought that the Jewish people, more than anyone should stand up in disgust. In the end I am lead to the conclusion that they only care about more and more settlements and being a dominant, aggressive force. Sharon's activities aren't about crushing terrorism, they are part of a bigger picture.

It was really stupid to invite Netanyahu to something supposedly apolitical. He is one of the few politicians further to the right than Sharon. No wonder the Palestinians were screaming!
Both sides are guilty of encouraging extremists - the Muslims invite those who advocate jihad against all Jews, while the Jews invite those who want to ethnically cleanse the West Bank. Can anyone tell me how peace can be achieved by either extreme? Surely these demonstrations should show the way to a peaceful solution, rather than more sabre-rattling nonsense. I think those calling for reconciliation and compromise far outweigh the lunatics, but they are simply too silent.

Firstly the Jewish community doesn't talk with one voice. The diversity means that the Jews can be Israels harshest critics as well as its biggest supporters. However after 18 months where Israeli's lives have been turned upside down by the Palestinians, who have turned to violence as a strategy instead of peace and negotiation they feel hopeless. People in this country want to show that Israeli victims are not forgotton and they are not alone. There's also frustration with the bias in the media, highlighted most recently with the wild claims of a massacre in Jenin, which we now no was a pack of lies. Finally its a show of opposition to the twisted moral blindness of the post-modern left which now dominates Europe, and its appeasement of terror, which is sowing the confusion and fear that lies behind the rise of the far-right.