Vigil number 68
March 2025
The violence continues. Israel has ended the ceasefire and over a hundred have been killed in the recent bombing in Gaza. Encouraged by President Trump and his desire to see some kind of Riviera on the Mediterranean coast, the IDF has restarted its bombing campaign. There can be little pretence that peace and a two state solution is anywhere present in current thinking.
To criticise Israel is to court being called ‘antisemitic’ a kneejerk reaction which has been immensely powerful. Many publications are wary of inviting this slur. It is very encouraging therefore to read of criticisms coming from within Israel itself and in particular in the Haaretz newspaper. A recent article by its editor Aluf Benn, is testimony to this [registration may be needed].
The images on our screens are truly horrific. A landscape of demolished buildings; mountains of rubble; hoards of people moving from one ‘safe zone’ to the next; rows of corpses and parents clutching dead infants. The scale of the response, with Netanyahu promising even worse to come, is demonstrably a crime against humanity. All supported by the United States and now Donald Trump with vague notions of moving 2 million Palestinians out of the territory to some other country.
Britain continues to support Israel and the RAF are reported to be overflying Gaza a largely unreported fact. And of course we are still selling them arms. We are thus complicit in these terrible events.
The 68th Vigil was held yesterday in the Market Place in Salisbury with around 35 in attendance. We are grateful to Peter Gloyns for a moving video.
Latest posts:
Amnesty in Salisbury & South Wiltshire 
Leave a comment