Opinion | Why global activism for Palestinians will reverberate beyond Gaza conflict
- After years of Arab countries growing closer to Israel, the events of October 7 have swung the pendulum the other way
- Mass pro-Palestinian protests, calls to boycott companies over their ties to Israel, and more, are generating political shifts in Arab countries and the West
The 2020s began with dismal news for Palestinians, who saw official state support for their cause in the Arab and Muslim world dwindle significantly. Gone were the days when Arab heads of state centred much of their foreign policy around Palestine’s liberation from occupation by Israel.
There was also a campaign among internet users around the world to use social media to spread awareness of Israel’s actions in Palestine. This push came despite sustained communications campaigns by Israel as well as reported efforts by social media companies to silence pro-Palestine voices on their platforms. Many users employed different spellings or variations of words to get around the banning of pro-Palestine accounts, a strategy that seems to have won some victories.
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Asia’s Muslim-majority countries rally in support of Palestinians as Middle East conflict mounts
It is important to ask whether these actions are of any consequence, especially as Israel has not stopped its onslaught in Gaza, despite a temporary ceasefire. It would appear they have had a significant impact.
