Gibraltar’s Jewish community focuses on ‘unity and peace’ after Monday’s pro-Palestine march

Gibraltar’s Jewish Community has dropped plans to hold a demonstration in response to last Monday’s pro-Palestine march, adding it was stepping back in the wider interests of Gibraltar and to avoid inflaming tensions.

In a statement, the Managing Board of the Jewish Community (MBJC) described deep concern in the Jewish community following Monday’s 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.

The MBJC was reacting after some 300 people took part in a march from Casemates to Convent Place on Monday evening calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Organisers said the march was to signal solidarity with Palestine and the Palestinians, and to break the “awkward silence” in the face of what they described as “a genocide”.

But 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.

The MBJC said it took the decision with an eye on Gibraltar’s collective interests and to avoid exacerbating tensions as has occurred elsewhere.

“We choose to take a step back, not out of indifference to the deep pain and concerns of our people, but out of a commitment to communal harmony and the greater good,” the statement added.

“It is a gesture of goodwill and an act of sacrifice, intended to prevent the escalation of tensions and to protect the unique spirit of conviviality that makes Gibraltar special.”

The MBJC said it was convinced many other people in Gibraltar shared its position.

“We were heartened by the discreet turnout of Monday’s demonstration, which is yet another manifestation of the people of Gibraltar’s desire to keep these political antagonisms from being thrashed out in our streets, and focusing on the peaceful coexistence and unity that has defined life in our blessed Rock, especially at a time when Jews across the globe are experiencing intolerable levels of antisemitism,” it said.

Instead of a demonstration, the Jewish Community is proposing “a different form of engagement” to send a message of peace and the liberation of hostages.

“This will not be a public spectacle but a private act of solidarity, prayer, and hope that we extend to the entire community of Gibraltar,” the MBJC statement said.

“It is an opportunity for us to reaffirm our shared values, and to send a powerful message of unity and peace from our exceptional community to the world.”

And it added: “We believe this approach underscores our commitment to the Gibraltarian way of life, which treasures peace above all.”

“It allows us to express our support and concern in a manner that brings us closer, rather than driving a wedge between us.”

“Our decision reflects a deep-seated belief that what unites us is far stronger and more important than what could ever divide us, and we will continue in our efforts to reflect this sentiment.”

Below is the full text of the statement issued by the Managing Board of the Jewish Community.

In recent weeks, Gibraltar has navigated the delicate balance of opinion surrounding the ongoing and painful conflict in Gaza with a commitment to peaceful and – largely- respectful dialogue. It is the belief of the Jewish Community of Gibraltar that this is a defining trait of our people: our capacity to unite over the common purpose of our people, overlooking cultural and religious differences.

Unfortunately, this ethos was challenged by the recent demonstration organised by Gibraltar for Palestine, which has sent shockwaves throughout the Jewish Community, deeply impacting its members on both a personal and collective level. We have been confronted with words and chants in Gibraltar that we never imagined would echo through our streets, chants that suggest the annihilation of the Israeli people and the destruction of their State. These are not merely slogans; they are war cries that have, around the globe, incited acts of violence and discord. These chants, we are certain and have been told, are unacceptable to the majority of Gibraltar.

In response, the Jewish Community of Gibraltar considered holding a rally to express solidarity with Israel and advocate for the return of hostages brutally captured and treated by Hamas. However, after thoughtful deliberation, we have chosen not to go ahead with this event.

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. Our members have been experiencing a very real and direct collective grief for the last five months. This decision was therefore not an easy one to take and, while difficult, is borne from a profound sense of responsibility to uphold the peace and unity that are the cornerstone of our diverse community in Gibraltar. We recognise the potential consequences: a series of demonstrations, however peaceful in intention, can inflame tensions further and contribute to an escalation. We have already seen a supposedly silent and peaceful demonstration turn loud and hostile, and we know that demonstrations always carry a risk of escalating into more hurtful exchanges, sometimes even physical violence, as has been sadly witnessed in many parts of the world.

Our decision is rooted in the desire to avoid such outcomes and to act in the best interest of all Gibraltarians. We choose to take a step back, not out of indifference to the deep pain and concerns of our people, but out of a commitment to communal harmony and the greater good. It is a gesture of goodwill and an act of sacrifice, intended to prevent the escalation of tensions and to protect the unique spirit of conviviality that makes Gibraltar special.

We are convinced that we are not the only ones who believe that our position is in Gibraltar’s best interests. We were heartened by the discreet turnout of Monday’s demonstration, which is yet another manifestation of the people of Gibraltar’s desire to keep these political antagonisms from being thrashed out in our streets, and focusing on the peaceful coexistence and unity that has defined life in our blessed Rock, especially at a time when Jews across the globe are experiencing intolerable levels of antisemitism. We are very much alive to this threatening reality and therefore in lieu of a demonstration, we propose a different form of engagement: for peace and the liberation of hostages. This will not be a public spectacle but a private act of solidarity, prayer, and hope that we extend to the entire community of Gibraltar. It is an opportunity for us to reaffirm our shared values, and to send a powerful message of unity and peace from our exceptional community to the world.

We believe this approach underscores our commitment to the Gibraltarian way of life, which treasures peace above all. It allows us to express our support and concern in a manner that brings us closer, rather than driving a wedge between us.

Our decision reflects a deep-seated belief that what unites us is far stronger and more important than what could ever divide us, and we will continue in our efforts to reflect this sentiment.