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Belgian, Dutch university students join pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protests (www.timesofisrael.com)

submitted 6 months ago by Linkerbaan@lemmy.world to c/europe@feddit.de

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AMSTERDAM/BRUSSELS — Students in the Netherlands and Belgium occupied parts of the universities of Amsterdam and Ghent on Monday to protest against Israel’s war against Hamas, joining international student protests inspired by those on US campuses.

At a campus of the University of Amsterdam (UvA) in downtown Amsterdam, hundreds of students set up camp, pitching dozens of tents, playing in drum circles, and barricading access with wooden pallets.

The students want UvA and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) to stop their partnerships with Israel.

In neighboring Belgium, some 100 students also occupied a part of Ghent’s university, UGent.

Footage shared on social media shows students surrounded by tents chanting, “Hey hey, ho ho, the occupation has to go” in one of UGent’s buildings.

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[–] timidgoat@lemmy.ca 7 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (2 children)

I think it's important to remember that for most people, anti-Israel does not mean Israel cannot exist at all. It is that the Israel we know, cannot continue to exist in the way that it is. Similarly to being anti-South African apartheid did not mean all the settlers had to be leave, it meant the country had to fundamentally change the way it operates and treated the its citizens.

To add, if you are calling yourself pro-Israel, I think you should be aware that for most people that means you are a-okay with how Israel has been oppressing and murdering Palestinians for decades.

[–] Deebster@programming.dev 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I disagree that being in favour of something means you agree with everything they do, but for the record, I've been to Palestine several times and I didn't liked what Israel was doing back then, let alone the current disgusting atrocities that Netanyahu's currently perpetuating.

[–] timidgoat@lemmy.ca 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I didn't intend to say being pro-Israel means you're okay with everything they do. What I'm trying to say is that in my experience, people interpret "pro-Israel" as being in support of the way in which Israel exists, namely an apartheid an ethnostate.

I'm envious of your trips to Palestine. One day I'll get there. I have friends who said they will take me one day.

[–] Deebster@programming.dev 1 points 6 months ago

Really I was arguing with the "anti-Israel" part, since I don't think that's merely interpreted as meaning you're not in favour of Israeli policy. I was attempting to agree with the top of the thread's implication that "anti-Israel" feels like it's been used as a short step away from "antisemitic", which Israel has a long history of using in the face of any criticism.

[–] kwomp2@sh.itjust.works 0 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Yeah and you would not have said "I'm anti south-africa", but add "apartheid", for good reasons and as you just did

[–] Linkerbaan@lemmy.world -1 points 6 months ago

Indeed. Which is why we say free Palestine from israel. Israel is the occupation.