TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Middle East geopolitical analyst Dina Sulaeman highlighted that the mass pro-Palestine movement has been growing in Europe and the United States. She revealed that at least four factors are contributing to the widespread support for Palestine in Western countries.
Firstly, Dina believes that people in Western countries are more likely to voice their opinions about the conflict in Gaza. She stated that this relates to advancing civil liberties and the freedom to express Western opinions.
Secondly, Dina argued that the genocide in Gaza has surpassed all universal moral limits, thus mobilizing civil society. Additionally, the passive stance of Western governments has led the public to question their governments' double standards.
"Why do Western governments seem to be more concerned about human rights violations in other countries than in Israel?" said the international relations lecturer at the University of Padjadjaran in her written message to Tempo on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.
Thirdly, Dina sees the opening of the "Pandora's box" of information about Israel that has been concealed by the mainstream media for a long time.
For example, she mentioned many Western politicians being funded by Zionist-affiliated organizations, such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which is known to provide campaign funding to numerous members of the U.S. Congress.
Dina also noted that many universities invest in Israeli military companies. She also pointed out that a portion of the U.S. national budget was donated to Israel.
"Although Israel is a prosperous country, its people receive significant subsidies for education and healthcare. In contrast, people in Western countries, particularly the U.S., have to pay dearly for these services," she stated.
Finally, Dina explained that academics, students, and pro-Palestine activists have been building networks and producing alternative narratives about the Palestinian struggle for decades.
According to Dina, these networks are more prepared to respond to various Western government policies, which can lead to a massive escalation of demonstration movements.
Previously, hundreds of thousands of people in various major European cities held massive demonstrations on May 15 to commemorate Nakba Day, the day when over 700,000 Palestinians were expelled from their homeland after the establishment of Israel in 1948.
As reported by Anadolu and Al Jazeera, the protests also served as a condemnation of Israeli brutal attacks on the Gaza Strip. Activists said that history is repeating itself today in Gaza and the West Bank, which are under occupation.
In Stockholm, thousands of people crowded Odenplan Square at the invitation of several civil society organizations.
The demonstrators carried Palestinian flags, photos of children who were victims of the attacks, and banners with the words "Stop the Zionist regime's genocide in Palestine." Some participants held posters with the names of civilians killed in Gaza to draw attention to the ongoing humanitarian tragedy.
In April, clashes occurred between police and pro-Palestine students in the United States protesting against Israeli attacks in Gaza.
Police took to the streets and resorted to violence to quell the widespread protests that had been ongoing since the mass arrest at Columbia University a week earlier.
The unrest between police and students opposing the Israeli war in Gaza broke out on Thursday, April 25, 2024.
Sita Planasari contributed to the writing of this article
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