A new protest is announced for this Saturday at 3 PM at Place Masséna, organized by Collectif 06, which includes MRAP, France-Palestine Solidarité, and the far-left.
No ban has been announced by the Prefecture for this gathering, the sixth since the beginning of July. The responsibility of the organizers and demonstrators is engaged to ensure their call remains confined to supporting peace, one of the few values that has no opponents.
While it is understandable that everyone expresses their solidarity with the population of the Gaza Strip and more generally with the Palestinian and anti-Israel cause, it would be serious if this led to anti-Semitic excesses.
Statements and slogans of this nature would be an attack on democratic and republican values that separate the state from religion.
There is no reason to conflate Israel with Jews, and it would be intolerable to witness primitive slips.
In these painful times, facing a complex situation, everyone must show a sense of responsibility and discernment: we should not forget that we are talking about French citizens of Jewish or Muslim faith.
In republican fraternity, there is no room for malevolent hatred. Peace is not expressed through violence.
