We were among the hundreds and sometimesthousands who protested every night at the Israeli Embassy in December2008/January 2009, and who marched with 100,000 others on 10th January.

While young Muslim men and women were the first,the most numerous and the most consistent protestors, this was a popularcause- many Jewish people and people from other backgrounds participated.  Allof us shared a desperate outrage at Israel's use of F-16s, drones, whitephosphorous and depleted uranium; its murder of 1,400 people and the woundingand maiming of thousands more, including hundreds of children, women, peoplewho were unarmed or holding white flags; its bombing of schools and hospitals;its decimation of animal and bird life; and its poisoning of water andair. 

Our distress and anger reflected the widespreadhorror in the UK at what wehad heard (and been prevented from witnessing by Israel'srefusal to allow reporters into Gaza),and at the devastation we were only afterwards allowed to see.¹