Just a couple of weeks ago, the press was full of reports of an unprecedented mass protest movement in
Israel against the new ultra-right government. But now, following Israel’s latest murderous attack on Gaza,
the movement is fading away and demonstrations have been cancelled in a display of national unity.

In truth, this movement was always more concerned to preserve the oxymoron of Israel as a “Jewish,
democratic state” than to seriously challenge Zionist hegemony and the oppression of the Palestinian
people. Anti-occupation and pro-Palestinian activists formed just a small proportion of the protesters.

To discuss this, we will be joined by leading Palestinian activist Sami Abou Shahadeh. Sami, a Palestinian
citizen of the Israeli state, is leader of the Balad Party and until recently was a member of the Israeli
Knesset. He offers a perspective too often forgotten in Middle East discussions – that of the Palestinians
who live as – at best – second-class citizens in a state where they form more than 20% of the population.