Massive Wave of Protests Erupts in Mideast as Arab Allies Rally Against Forced Palestinian Exodus

In the midst of the Gaza war and the imminent Israeli ground operation that could lead to the displacement of millions of Palestinians, protests ignited across the Arab world on Friday.

Following Islamic Friday prayers, thousands of demonstrators in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and the West Bank expressed their opposition to Israel's actions in its conflict with Hamas.

The Gaza conflict, as reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, has resulted in the deaths of 4,127 individuals. This action was initiated by Israel in response to an attack by Hamas rulers of Gaza on October 7. Israeli authorities claim that 1,400 people lost their lives and approximately 200 were held hostage.

Protesters shout during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Amman, Jordan on Friday.

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Israels' bombardment and urging for Gazans to relocate from the northern region of the strip have spurred an exodus of over one million individuals from the area. This development has sparked worry regarding the potential displacement of millions of Palestinians residing in the enclave, a significant portion of whom are already recognized as refugees stemming from the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict.

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - OCTOBER 18: Photos of hostages captured by Hamas in recent attacks are displayed in Tel Aviv, Israel, on October 18, 2023. As Israel prepares to invade the Gaza Strip to eliminate Hamas, the Palestinian militant group responsible for a deadly attack in southern Israel on October 7th, concerns are mounting about a potential widespread conflict with multiple fronts, including the country's northern border with Lebanon. Various nations are rushing to evacuate their citizens from Israel, while Israel has started relocating residents in certain communities along its northern border. Simultaneously, hundreds of thousands of people from northern Gaza have fled to the southern part of the territory in response to Israel's plans for a ground invasion.

American mother and daughter, who were held captive by Hamas, have now been freed. Concerns have escalated due to the aggressive language used by Israeli officials, stating that Gaza will undergo significant changes following the elimination of Hamas. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has declared that the United States is engaged in negotiations with Egypt and Israel to establish a humanitarian pathway at the Rafah border crossing, which is under Egypt's jurisdiction. This corridor would allow Americans and other civilians in Gaza to safely escape.

In a demonstration of escalating frustration with the Israeli operation in Gaza, Egypt authorized its first large-scale protest in ten years. On Friday, hundreds of protesters gathered in downtown Cairo's Tahrir Square to show support for the Palestinians, and similar demonstrations took place in various cities across Egypt.

Among the protesters in Cairo, some vocalized their discontent by chanting phrases like "Where is the Arab army?" and "Here they are, the Zionists," specifically directing their criticism towards Egypt's riot police. The police then forcibly relocated the demonstrators to nearby Bab el-Louk Square and blocked entry to Tahrir.

Egyptians protest in support of Palestinians at al-Azhar Mosque, in Old Cairo, Egypt on Friday.

In Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, a large number of individuals rallied against the Israeli offensive. Displaying Palestinian and Lebanese flags, as well as symbols of the Iran-backed Hezbollah and its political ally in Lebanon, Amal, the demonstrators voiced their opposition. Furthermore, some young protesters burned the American flag to express their discontent with Washington's backing of Israel.

Hundreds of Iraqis, predominantly backers of Iran-backed militias, participated in a sit-in on Friday at Iraq's primary border crossing with Jordan. Additionally, protesters demonstrated in Baghdad, which is located near the heavily fortified Green Zone that accommodates the United States embassy.

A plume of smoke rises in the sky over Gaza City during an Israeli airstrike on Monday.

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About 6,000 demonstrators in Amman, the capital of Jordan, expressed their support for Gazans amidst the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. According to Reuters, several individuals encouraged Hamas to escalate their attacks on Israel through the repetition of slogans.

The mounting protests among the Arab street and the frustration of regional leaders are reflective of the increasing anger towards the ongoing war and the escalating number of Palestinian casualties. Additionally, there is dissatisfaction with the perceived lack of action from the United States to restrain Israel's behavior. During his recent visit to Israel, President Joe Biden reassured unwavering support for the country but cautioned against Israel attempting to reoccupy Gaza, deeming it a "mistake."

The rhetoric against Israel has been especially intense from the governments of Jordan and Egypt, two countries allied with the US, which share borders with Israel and were the first Arab nations to sign peace treaties with it. Jordan and Egypt have expressed concerns about a perceived plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank to their respective countries. Although Israel has not announced such intentions, both Jordan and Egypt have cautioned that such a move could lead to war.

This point was emphasized by Egypt's parliament in an emergency meeting on Thursday, where it authorized President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to take necessary actions to safeguard national security, secure the country's borders, and provide support to the Palestinians.

Declaration of war

Ayman Mohsab, undersecretary of the Arab Affairs Committee in the parliament, said Sisi has been authorized to take measures, "even if they include waging war."

According to Egypt's constitution, the president is required to seek parliament's approval prior to declaring war.

Sisi has implied that Israel's request for the displacement of over a million individuals from northern Gaza might be an element of a broader strategy to remove Palestinians from the entire region.

US President Joe Biden embraces Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv on Wednesday.

Evan Vucci/AP

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Sisi stated that if Palestinians are displaced from Gaza into Egypt, a similar scenario could occur with Palestinians being expelled from the West Bank into Jordan. He added that discussing a Palestinian state would be futile because the land would exist, but the population would not. In response, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warned that any efforts to remove Palestinians from the West Bank to Jordan would be seen as a declaration of war.

Israel took control of the West Bank and Gaza during the 1967 war and started establishing Jewish settlements there. In 2005, it withdrew its military and settlers from Gaza, but still enforces a blockade on the area. The West Bank, however, remains occupied, and the former right-wing Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu planned to expand its authority into the West Bank. On October 11, Netanyahu formed an emergency government with Benny Gantz, the leader of the National Unity Party.

The Palestinians aim to establish their own independent state in the West Bank and Gaza.

Aid supplies are visible in North Sinai, Egypt on October 16, 2023. The aid convoy, arranged by a group of Egyptian volunteers, commenced its journey from Cairo towards the Gaza-Egypt border crossing at Rafah on Saturday, the 14th. Tensions escalated in the Israel-Palestine conflict as on October 7th, the Palestinian militant group Hamas orchestrated a surprise attack on border communities in southern Israel. In response, Israel initiated an extensive bombing campaign and issued a warning of a potential ground invasion. (Photo by Mahmoud Khaled/Getty Images)

Mahmoud Khaled/Getty Images

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Egypt has responded to demands for action by criticizing Western media for targeting and blaming Egypt for the closure of the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Israel. Furthermore, a scheduled summit involving Jordan, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority with US President Joe Biden was canceled just a day before, with Jordan stating that it would be ineffective in bringing an end to the Gaza war.

Egypt has taken the initiative to organize the Cairo Peace Summit, scheduled for Saturday, as reported by state media. The summit will see the participation of various countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Italy, and Greece. Additionally, the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations Secretary-General will also be present. In a joint decision, the United States, Egypt, and Israel have agreed to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. The process will begin with 20 out of the 200 trucks that have been waiting at the Rafah border crossing. Although the aid is still awaiting entry, sources have confirmed that the crossing is not expected to open on Friday.

Egyptian television broadcasted live demonstrations in multiple cities, expressing solidarity with Gaza and opposing the possible displacement of its people. These protests occurred as a response to President Sisi's announcement on Wednesday, in which he stated the potential mobilization of Egypt's entire population of 105 million to demonstrate in support of his stance on the Palestinian matter.

"If I reach a point where I am urging the Egyptian population to take to the streets and demonstrate their opposition to this notion, the sight of millions of Egyptians will be apparent," he stated at a press conference alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Protests are infrequent in Egypt under Sisi's rule, as stringent regulations on demonstrations have been enforced since he overthrew a democratically elected government in a military coup in 2013. Since that time, there have been no widespread protests in Egypt, except for sporadic and rare demonstrations that occurred in September 2019, resulting in a severe crackdown and numerous arrests.

Additional reporting by Sarah Sirgany in Beirut, Nada Bashir in Amman and Hamdi Alkhshali in Atlanta.