Reporter’s Pocket book: Protecting an anti-war protest in Israel | Israel Conflict on Gaza

It’s a crisp sunny Saturday morning as our crew prepares the automotive for the drive from Jerusalem to Haifa to cowl an anti-war rally. Spirits are excessive as I place my digital camera gear within the boot of the automotive. Then we talk about footwear.

Stefanie, our correspondent, has chosen to put on comfy white trainers, anticipating the chance of violence to be low. Nonetheless, Luke, whom we’ve employed to supply safety, and I’ve plumped for sturdy boots in case issues get heated.

That is the primary anti-war protest to happen in Israel because it started its battle on Gaza following the Hamas assaults of October 7.

Since, it hasn’t been straightforward for the anti-war voice to make itself heard. The organisers of this rally, Hadash, a left-wing socialist social gathering that helps a two-state answer, had been initially banned from gathering and needed to take their request to the Supreme Courtroom.

For us, even discovering the protest location proves tough. As we close to the sq. in Haifa, our GPS begins sending us in circles. We lastly park at a mosque the place an area explains that the Israeli military has scrambled the GPS sign in northern Israel because of safety issues.

The authorities had been possible eager to let the protest go forward on a Saturday when there’s no public transport, which might make it harder for individuals to succeed in the sq..

As we make our strategy to the sq., we move a big contingent of police in blue uniforms in addition to what seems to be like border guards in darkish inexperienced. They appear to be having a last-minute pep speak earlier than the protest.

Little doubt they’ve issues as to what may be about to occur. They’re armed with rifles and pistols, and so they have utility autos, the infamous “skunk water truck” and officers on horseback.

I’m beginning to really feel vindicated by my alternative of footwear.

Round noon, we’re ready for the rally to start out. Police create a hoop of metal across the space, erecting steel barricades and blocking the close by highway with vans. They’ve additionally positioned an armed spotter on a roof overlooking the sq..

An area photographer explains to me that the police usually are not completely satisfied the protest goes forward, that the anti-war message just isn’t one they’re prepared to listen to.

“They’re going to impress violence from the demonstrators to show that it shouldn’t have gone forward,” he warns me solemnly.

Our guard is now up. We begin to survey the coming protesters for indicators of bother or doable counter-protesters which will have been planted to attempt to whip up confrontations.

Luke spots a person reaching into his internal jacket pocket in a really suspicious method. The person glances round and pulls out… a packet of cigarettes. False alarm, however you possibly can’t be too cautious.

Extra individuals begin to present up – about 500, a lot of them younger – and a few aren’t carrying footwear. I can’t assist however really feel that the police could have overestimated the hazard posed by this specific group of protesters.

They’re banging drums, shouting slogans via loudspeakers and giving speeches on the significance of reconciliation and the failure of battle to carry lasting safety.

It’s refreshing to listen to an alternate message in Israel and to see Israelis and Palestinian Israelis standing collectively in hope for a peaceable future.

One of many audio system, Maoz Inon, whose mother and father had been killed by Hamas fighters throughout Hamas’s assaults on October 7, speaks of forgiveness: “My father cultivated the land. He grew wheat and he additionally introduced me as much as consider in a great future.

“My message to the world is don’t select a aspect, Israeli or Palestine, however please select humanity.”

In the meantime, police have gotten more and more twitchy. They swoop in on the gang and pluck a person from it, then lead him away to a close-by automobile because the protesters, police and press surge backwards and forwards within the confusion.

Thankfully, the scenario doesn’t escalate and issues quickly settle down.

However there are different occasions. At one level, whereas I’m filming Stefanie speaking to the digital camera, a Palestinian-Israeli man and his teenage daughter strategy us. He apologises for interrupting us earlier than telling us he’d been shoved within the again by a police officer whereas watching the rally. He’s upset and annoyed, and feels focused for merely displaying up on the rally.

Close to the tip of the protest, the police make one other transfer. This time, the supply of their ire is a paper mâché fighter aircraft with cardboard bombs dangling beneath. It’s a short battle earlier than the mannequin aircraft is snatched away.

Regardless of the aircraft incident, the protesters stay upbeat.

When the rally finishes and other people start to file off in several instructions,  Stefanie stays slightly longer to speak with Maoz. In the meantime, a counter-protester movies him after which tries to start out arguments with the those that stay.

For now, these protesting right here as we speak are within the minority. Based on current polls, nearly all of Israelis nonetheless assist the battle in Gaza.