Data on the outbreak in Europe on 15 May
France added 15,685 new cases, with a cumulative total of 5904566 confirmed cases, 112 new deaths, and 107564 cumulative deaths;
The United Kingdom added 2027 new cases, with a cumulative total of 4448851 confirmed cases, 7 new deaths, and 127675 cumulative deaths;
Italy added 6,659 cases, with a cumulative total of 4153374 confirmed cases, 136 new deaths, and 124063 cumulative deaths;
Germany added 12,141 new cases on the 14th, with a cumulative total of 3582829 confirmed cases, 185 new deaths, and 85,903 cumulative deaths.
Over the past few days, the serious conflict between armed groups in the Palestinian Gaza Strip and Israel has continued to escalate, resulting in hundreds of deaths. On Monday, after hundreds of Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli police in Mosque Square in East Jerusalem, Hamas began firing rockets at Israel, triggering Israeli bombing of office and residential buildings and tunnel systems of Hamas and Islamist leader in Gaza, and the clashes escalated.
On Saturday (15th), a total of 22,000 people across France took part in the pro-Palestinian march, including 2,500 to 3,000 in Paris. Paris dispatched 4,200 police and gendarmes to maintain order that day, and one gendarme was hit on the head by a thrown object. All 51 people were arrested in France, including 44 in Paris.
▲ A pro-Palestinian demonstrator on the streets of Paris on May 15. (AFP photo)
Paris banned the "Tingba" parade
France is considered the European country with the largest number of Arabs and Jews. Macron's government does not want the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to be "imported" into France, sparking social unrest and a Jewish-hate movement.
At the request of French Interior Minister Dalmanin, Paris Police Chief Didier Lallement signed an injunction on Friday (14th) banning the march from the Barbès neighborhood in northeast Paris to the Place de la Bastille, scheduled for Saturday at 3 p.m.
▲ Dalmanin pointed out that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict may spread to French territory and "disturb public order". The interior minister also said the decision to ban marches in Paris was due to a reluctance to hear marchers shout anti-Semitic slogans such as "Jews die" as they did in 2014, and that "france does not allow hate marches." (Screenshot of Dalmanin's Twitter)
However, the organizers of the march, the "Greater Paris Palestinians Association", insisted on marching:
"We refuse to be silent, nothing can stop us from demonstrating."
On Saturday (15th), the Barbès neighborhood in the 18th arrondissement of Paris gathered early in the morning to demonstrate.
▲ The pictures in this article are all screenshots of RT reports unless noted.
Also marching with the association were some 30 far-left groups, including the "New Anti-Capitalist Party", "Greater Paris - Anti-Fascist Action", etc. In addition, the unyielding French Party also accused the French government of banning the march in Paris to support the Palestinian march on the 14th as an attack on democracy.
Demonstrators shouted "Israel, murderer!" "Israel, terrorists! Macron, accomplice! "Liberate Gaza!" and other slogans.
The procession confronts riot police:
Police used high-pressure water wheels and tear gas to try to disperse the demonstrators.
In the evening, in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, some "marchers" threw objects at the police: (The following pictures are from screenshots of BFM reports)
There are also people who use trash cans and other items to set up barricades on the road:
Although there was a fire, the road was not forbidden, attracting some passers-by to watch the liveliness:
Why can the Paris Police "ban" the march?
After the Paris Police banned the assembly, the organizers appealed against it, but it was rejected by the Paris Administrative Court. However, the organizers' lawyer announced on Twitter that it would continue to appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court.
In fact, under section L211-4 of the National Security Law, the magistrate may decide to prohibit any assembly that is likely to "disturb public order". However, Serge Slama, a professor of public law at the University of Grenoble-Alps, stressed that "the relevant decisions must be made objectively." ”
In turn, the Paris Police Explained that the "police and gendarmerie" would be very actively mobilized "to ensure that the population complies with the epidemic prevention measures" and, therefore, "in the context of the threat of terrorist attacks, the safety of the parade will not be guaranteed".
The most important "central argument" is that "in 2014 there was a violent pro-Palestinian demonstration in Paris": the July 19, 2014 demonstration later turned into a clash between the police and violent demonstrators, resulting in many injuries.
In response, the organizer's lawyer countered: "Since 2014, pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been successfully carried out several times", similarly, "in the yellow vest demonstrations, the police also used the excuse of violence to prohibit the demonstrations".
"For the sake of legality," the lawyer said, "this decision must be necessary, appropriate, proportionate ... Can't another measure be taken that restricts freedom less? "For example, the Rhône Estuary has chosen to allow people to meet in situ on Saturdays".
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict, why is there no "big move" in Europe?
On the afternoon of the 13th, French President Macron has called with Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, while expressing condolences for the death of many Palestinian civilians caused by the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, strongly condemning Hamas and other terrorist organizations, and calling for peaceful dialogue.
Earlier on the 14th, Russian President Putin and UN Secretary-General António Guterres also called for an end to hostilities.
European Commission Vice President Heenas said on the 14th that he was "very concerned" about the recent anti-Semitic behavior in EU member states and called on member states to remain "vigilant". Merkel warned on the same day that Germany "will not tolerate anti-Semitic demonstrations on its soil."
So far, however, the response of the international parties has been limited to calling on both sides to remain calm. Hugh Lovatt, a fellow at the European Council on International Relations on the Middle East, also confirmed this: "The response of the international community is very timid", and there are many reasons for this, one of which is the attitude of the United States to "stay out of the matter".
The United States stayed out of the matter
"The Americans are not in a hurry to react," Lovat said. They don't want to use political capital on this issue," and Biden hasn't seen it as a priority since taking office. ”
Marie Kortam, an associate researcher at the French Institute of Near Eastern Studies (IFPO-Beirut), agrees: "Biden does not want to meddle in the situation in Gaza and the West Bank. ”
"Biden prefers to focus on Iran... However, the United States is clearly more inclined to Israel. For example, according to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday, if 'Israel has the added responsibility to do everything possible to avoid civilian casualties,' then it has the 'right to defend its people.'"
Europe is divided on this issue
U.S. diplomats twice this week rejected a joint U.N. Security Council resolution on violence, frustrated four European Council members — Norway, Estonia, France and Ireland.
In a statement cited by the Times of Israel, they called "the massive civilian casualties, including children, caused by Israeli airstrikes on Gaza" and "the israeli population casualties caused by rocket launches in Gaza" "disturbing and unacceptable" . They also called on Israel to "stop the expulsion of Palestinians, including East Jerusalem." ”
But not all European countries are prepared to condemn Israel's actions, such as Germany said on Wednesday that Israel has a "right to defend itself."
If the United States does not move, Europe will "dare not move"
In response, Marie Kortam concluded: "Europe's response was timid and shameful" and "as long as the United States does not move, Europe will not do anything." ”
Lovat also analyzed: "Fundamentally, Europeans do not have a lot of control over Hamas. Nor will the EU engage in direct dialogue with Hamas , which it considers to be a terrorist organization" " In addition, the EU "has some leverage" against Israel, but the EU does not want to use them either." ”
(European Times/ Yasuki compiled report)
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