In a statement, the Managing Board of the Jewish Community (MBJC) described deep concern in the Jewish community following a pro-Palestine march, which it said had “challenged” Gibraltar’s “defining trait”, namely its capacity to set aside cultural and religious differences to unite in common purpose.
In response, the Jewish Community plans a low-key approach aimed at reaffirming shared values and sending “a powerful message of unity and peace” from Gibraltar to the world.
Plans for the demonstration triggered profound unease in Gibraltar’s Jewish community, many of whose members have friends and family directly affected by the Hamas attack of October 7 last year, the hostage-taking, and the events that followed.
The MBJC said the demonstration “sent shockwaves” through Gibraltar’s Jewish community, impacting deeply both at a personal and collective level, adding that some of the chants by some in the demonstration were “unacceptable to the majority of Gibraltar”.
“Practically every member in the Jewish Community is closely connected to someone in Israel directly affected by the massacre of October 7th whether killed, injured or currently held hostage in Gaza,” the MBJC said in the statement.
“Our members have been experiencing a very real and direct collective grief for the last five months.”
The MBJC said the Jewish community’s decision not to hold a demonstration had been difficult to take.
But it pointed to a “profound sense of responsibility” to Gibraltar’s peace and unity.
“We recognise the potential consequences: a series of demonstrations, however peaceful in intention, can inflame tensions further and contribute to an escalation,” the statement said.
