You’d think that traveling abroad would let you momentarily forget the problems of your home country. With this expectation, I visited my sister in England. But a group of British retirees collecting signatures in the city for a ceasefire and a boycott of Israel, accusing it of genocide in Gaza, quickly brought me back to reality.

When British retirees commit to a cause, they do so wholeheartedly. I saw this while strolling through the Cheltenham on a pleasant weekend. A group of them, all at least in their seventies, had gathered downtown and were lovingly preparing an information table. They went to great effort, decorating the table with the colors of the “Palestinian” flag. “Free Palestine” was painted in large letters, carefully crafted in red, black, and green on a white background. Next to it were a green tree and two quarters of a watermelon—symbols adopted by the “Palestinians.” Two meticulously drawn Palestinian flags accompanied the display. Clearly, they had put in a lot of work.

On the other side of the table lay a larger Palestinian flag bearing the words: “Sign the Petition—Ceasefire Now for Gaza.” Alongside it was “informational material,” including the well-known map claiming to show how Israel has systematically taken over land, leaving the “Palestinians” with only a few green patches.

Photo: Dov Eilon

Speaking with activists

At first, I walked past the information table set up by the British retirees. But I couldn’t shake a gnawing feeling. My heart began to race, not because I’d been walking for long but because of the scene before me. After circling the table a few times, I finally approached one of the polite elderly women who was enthusiastically collecting signatures for their cause: a ceasefire and a boycott of Israel for its “genocide.”

I politely asked if they also had a petition for the release of the 101 Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza. The woman responded kindly, explaining that they were focusing on a single issue.

I then shared the story of the brother of one of my daughter’s best friends, who was murdered by Palestinian terrorists on that fateful October 7. The woman expressed sympathy, saying she was sorry, but insisted that the focus was on calling for a ceasefire and condemning Israel’s “genocide” against the Palestinians.

It became increasingly difficult for me to remain composed and calm. I explained, still politely, that I was sure they were kind-hearted people who meant well but suggested it might be better to delve deeper into the issue’s complexities. I then began to ask questions:

• Why were there no calls for “Free Palestine” before 1967, when Judea and Samaria were under Jordanian control?
• And what about between 1917 and 1948, during the British Mandate period?

The problem is that these well-meaning, pro-Palestinian individuals believe that “Palestine,” which they so passionately support, existed during the British Mandate era. They even point to coins from that period inscribed with “Palestine.” Of course, the Hebrew letters א“י (Eretz Israel, or Land of Israel) inscribed alongside it are conveniently ignored.

I brought up the 1920 San Remo Conference and asked if they knew which territories were designated as “Palestine” at the time. I showed them a map of British Mandate Palestine on my phone, highlighting the area east of the Jordan River—now the Kingdom of Jordan.

“All of this was Palestine at the time,” I explained. The woman lost her patience. “Oh, you’re going so far back in history,” she said, “then we could go back thousands of years.” “Gladly,” I replied. But my conversation partner was already trying to retreat from the discussion. Another elderly woman called out from a distance, annoyed, asking me to leave.

I was also told that Israel’s Negev region is “occupied Palestinian territory” where Jews have no place. For a moment, I was at a loss for words, but then I replied that I personally know Jews who have lived in Israel for multiple generations. Naturally, the woman didn’t believe me.

A little souvenir. Photo by Dov Eilon

Facts and distortions

The endless twisting of facts, bordering on brainwashing, seems to be highly effective in England and likely elsewhere. This was exemplified by a commemorative event held in neighboring Gloucester on October 7—not to remember the 1,200 Israelis who were brutally murdered and mutilated by Palestinians on that dark Shabbat in 2023, but to honor Palestinians killed by Israel.

What can we expect in a world where even UN Secretary-General António Guterres suggests that Hamas’s attacks did not happen “in a vacuum,” thereby lending legitimacy to the actions of the radical Islamist group?

By now, I realized I stood no chance against the determined retirees. Yet I mentioned the atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists during my conversation with the woman. She curtly dismissed my claims, insisting they weren’t true and that no one had been raped. “There’s no evidence,” she said.

It was clear that there was no room for dialogue or constructive conversation here. I said goodbye, relatively politely, and asked for one of the small stickers they were handing out. After some surprised looks, they handed me a sticker—on the condition I would leave so the protesting retirees could continue their campaign for the “Palestinian cause.”

How easy it is to cling to one’s version of the truth, even when it’s false. Are these kind, concerned retirees as nice as I initially wanted to believe? Perhaps not.