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People protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Amman, Jordan, April 5, 2024.
Pro-Palestinian protests on US college campuses have dominated headlines recently, but the Gaza war has also catalyzed demonstrations in the surrounding region itself — and with the memory of the Arab Spring still fresh on their minds, leaders are responding with repressive tactics.
The Egyptian government has not taken kindly to pro-Palestinian protests that have also aimed at Cairo’s diplomatic ties with Israel. In early April, Egyptian authorities arrested at least 10 people at a protest where demonstrators accused Cairo of fueling the war in Gaza and called for the government to expel the Israeli ambassador.
Authorities in Morocco and Jordan have also arrested and prosecuted people who’ve criticized their government’s ties to Israel. Jordanian authorities have reportedly arrested roughly 1,500 over such demonstrations since October.
The Palestinian cause has been a rallying cry in the Arab world for decades. And without a cease-fire in Gaza, the war seems poised to continue stoking public outrage across the region.
That said, a Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Monday for further truce talks facilitated by international negotiators. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday urged the militant group to accept an “extraordinarily generous” new proposal from Israel that lowered the number of hostages it wants to see released for a phased cease-fire to begin.