Palestinian symbols were also displayed in Northern Ireland, where a decades-old standoff risked reigniting historic grievances.
asserted
standoff → display → grievances
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asserted
ties → use → Europe
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election → change → that
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Kenny Pierre Agboton, from the Free University of Brussels for Palestine platform, says the use of the Palestinian flag in demonstrations is a nod to anti-colonialism and anti-repression struggles.
asserted
use → try → anti
“From climate change to liveable Earth, the Palestinian issue becomes the crossroad for every fight we have, at least in Western Europe,” he told Al Jazeera.
asserted
he → become → Jazeera
He said that engaging in a political struggle is a political choice that values education over “giving arms to the military”.
asserted
that → say → military
His association is in contact with like-minded groups at other universities in Belgium and “we usually give one flag to each association” during nationwide demonstrations.
asserted
we → give → demonstrations
Across the border, France is witnessing nationwide rallies that began over faults within the education system.
asserted
that → witness → system
High school students, backed by university and teacher associations, trade unions and some politicians, are demanding more affordable, higher-quality education, upgraded schools, smaller classes and more teachers.
asserted
students → back → education
And some have done so while carrying the Palestinian flag or wearing the keffiyeh.
asserted
some → do → keffiyeh
Alice Cohen-Morzadec, spokesperson for the French Student Union and a regular protester, views the flag as a symbol of the daily struggles in the occupied West Bank and Gaza and broader global inequalities.
asserted
Morzadec → view → Bank
“As young people, high school or university students, we know that these demonstrations are not just about our own situation; it is about a global system that is organising attacks on our rights,” she said.
asserted
she → know → rights
Some politicians support using the symbols, too.
asserted
politicians → support → symbols
Nelson Mandela wore the keffiyeh in 1990.
asserted
Mandela → wear → 1990
In 2006, then-Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero of the Socialist Workers’ Party briefly wore one after a young Palestinian reportedly placed it around his neck.
uncertain
Palestinian → wear → neck
“What’s wrong with a citizen taking to the streets with a Palestinian flag?” said Mario Furore, an Italian member of the European Parliament from the Five Star Movement, which belongs to The Left parliamentary group.
asserted
which → ’ → group
“Should we really be outraged by this, when the Israeli government is accused of genocide in Gaza and continues to massacre Palestinians in the West Bank?
asserted
government → outrage → Bank
We mustn’t make the mistake of relativising everything,” he said.
asserted
he → make → everything
“Since October 7, 2023, Israeli operations have caused tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths, nearly 80,000 according to some estimates.
uncertain
operations → cause → estimates
This fact alone should put things into perspective.
asserted
fact → put → perspective
But the anti-colonial messaging of the students or the realpolitik of some politicians does not resonate in every country with a protest movement.
asserted
messaging → resonate → movement
Fatos Lubonja, an activist and writer who spent 17 years in prison during Albania’s communist rule, said he is one of the few who has carried the Palestinian flag or worn a keffiyeh during anticorruption demonstrations in his Muslim-majority country over the past four months.
asserted
who → spend → months
He said that in Albania, some see the Palestinian struggle alongside issues related to Muslims.
asserted
some → say → Muslims
And Muslims are equated with the Ottoman Empire.
asserted
Muslims → equate → Empire
“We were liberated from the Ottomans.
asserted
We → liberate → Ottomans
The Ottomans were considered as occupiers with whom we lived with a long time.
asserted
we → consider → whom
The narrative was that we were coming back to Europe, returning to our roots,” he said.
asserted
he → come → roots
“Being a Muslim for Albanians during communism means you had to be emancipated, that we wanted to be [a] Westerner, part of NATO.
asserted
we → mean → NATO
That is why Albanians, even today, are very pro-American and, of course, being pro-American means you also have to be pro-Israel,” he said.
asserted
he → mean → course
Seeing the Palestinian cause and flag waved at European demonstrations is not to everyone’s liking, especially since some violent protesters have also brandished Palestinian symbols.
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protesters → see → symbols
Palestinian writer and researcher Waddah Abu Jamea, writing in Al Majalla magazine in October, described discomfort watching on.
asserted
Jamea → write → discomfort
“Palestinians consequently find themselves expected to condemn the thief while thanking the student or academic who raises their flag.
asserted
who → find → flag
They watch as the flag’s original meaning disappears behind a cacophony of competing causes and agendas.
asserted
meaning → watch → causes
They see it enlisted in struggles over identity, immigration, religion and security.
asserted
it → see → identity
At the same time, their own story, like the Palestinians’ collective national cause, fades into the background amid the growing politicisation of solidarity,” he wrote.
asserted
he → fade → solidarity
“The flag has crossed borders, but those borders remain closed off to Palestinians.
asserted
borders → cross → Palestinians
It has entered universities and institutions while schools in Gaza have been destroyed, depriving Palestinian children of access to education.
asserted
schools → enter → education
It flies above demonstrations in Paris, while Palestinians in the West Bank are denied the freedom to carry it in protest against killing, imprisonment, and siege.”
asserted
Palestinians → fly → killing
Some sent blunter messages to the student protesters.
asserted
Some → send → protesters
Janine di Giovanni, a journalist and the head of The Reckoning Project, which documents war crimes, was visiting the West Bank on October 18 when she posted about the French protesters on her Facebook page.
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she → document → page
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
