Between Political Protest and Old Hatred: Why the World Shouts at Israel but Whispers About Iran
Introduction
Since the outbreak of the Hamas–Israel war in October 2023, the world has witnessed a massive wave of pro‑Palestinian demonstrations. Some were legitimate political protests. Many others, however, crossed into open hostility toward Israel, calls for sanctions, accusations of war crimes, and in several cases — violent antisemitism.
At the very same time, the Iranian regime has been brutally suppressing its own people: executing protesters, torturing detainees, and violently crushing dissent. Yet the global “human‑rights‑driven” voices that filled the streets against Israel were suddenly silent.
This contrast raises an uncomfortable question: Are these protests truly motivated by love for Palestinians — or by hatred toward Israel?
Part I: The Global Wave of Anti‑Israel Protests
According to international monitoring organizations and public reporting, pro‑Palestinian demonstrations took place across dozens of countries. Many were held directly outside Israeli embassies, and some included explicit antisemitic rhetoric or violence.
Countries with Major Pro‑Palestinian Protests
Europe
- United Kingdom
- France
- Germany
- Austria
- Belgium
- Netherlands
- Spain
- Italy
- Ireland
- Sweden
- Denmark
- Switzerland
North America
- United States
- Canada
Australia
- Australia (notably Sydney, where antisemitic chants were reported)
Middle East & North Africa
- Lebanon
- Jordan
- Tunisia
- Morocco
- Turkey
Asia
- Pakistan
- Indonesia
- Malaysia
- Bangladesh
South America
- Chile
- Brazil
- Argentina
In many of these places, protests included slogans like “From the river to the sea,” calls for boycotts and sanctions, and in some cases, direct harassment or attacks on Jewish communities.
Part II: When “Pro‑Palestinian” Turns Into Antisemitism
In several countries, demonstrations escalated beyond political expression:
- Australia — chants such as “Gas the Jews” were reported in Sydney.
- United States — Jewish students and civilians were assaulted on campuses and in major cities.
- Europe — synagogues vandalized, Jewish homes marked, and violent rhetoric normalized.
When a protest supposedly about human rights includes calls for genocide, it becomes clear that something deeper is at play.
Part III: The Deafening Silence on Iran
While Israel faced global condemnation, Iran continued:
- Executing protesters
- Shooting civilians
- Torturing detainees
- Oppressing women
- Silencing journalists
- Targeting minorities
And yet — no mass demonstrations in Western capitals. No weekly marches. No demands for sanctions. No moral outrage.
Why?
Possible reasons
- Israel is an easier target — a democratic state that allows criticism.
- Antisemitism adapts — it finds new language, new excuses, new disguises.
- Iran is framed as “anti‑Western” — which grants it strange immunity among certain activist circles.
- Fear — protesting against a violent dictatorship carries real danger; protesting against Israel does not.
Part IV: Is This Really About Palestinians?
The selective outrage speaks for itself:
- No protests when Palestinians are killed in Syria.
- No protests when Palestinians are discriminated against in Lebanon.
- No protests when Hamas uses civilians as human shields.
- No protests when Iran slaughters its own people.
- But massive protests when Israel defends itself after a massacre.
This is not consistent human‑rights activism. It is selective morality. And selective morality is rarely about justice — it is about politics. Sometimes, it is about hatred.
Conclusion
The world marched against Israel in dozens of countries, often with rhetoric that crossed into antisemitism. Meanwhile, the Iranian regime’s atrocities against its own citizens were met with silence.
This contrast exposes a painful truth: Much of the global outrage is not driven by compassion for Palestinians — but by hostility toward Israel.