British Palestinians feel unable to speak openly about Israel’s Gaza genocide and fear hostility over displays of Palestinian identity, according to the director of the British Palestinian Committee.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s Nakba commemoration march in London, Sara Husseini told the Guardian that some people were afraid to wear keffiyehs, Arabic jewellery, or Palestinian symbols at work and in public.
“We have many documented reports of Palestinians and allies being silenced or punished for wearing Palestinian symbols, watermelon pins, or speaking about the genocide,” she said.
“Many colleagues across all kinds of sectors feel they are being gaslit while friends and families are being massacred back home.”
The annual march marks the 78th anniversary of the Nakba, meaning “catastrophe”, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forcibly displaced during the creation of Israel in 1948.
Husseini said many Palestinians in Britain felt their grief was being politicised.
“Cruelty is the word I would use, particularly for colleagues who are from Gaza or have family there, knowing these atrocities are being inflicted on their loved ones day in, day out.”
“And then being effectively told: not only are we not going to acknowledge that this is happening to you, but we’re also going to disbelieve you, interrogate you, stop you from speaking about it, and if you do speak, we’re going to paint you as the problem,” she added.
