19 April marked the day when members of the North East Branch of the UK friends of Standing Together held their first vigil for peace in Israel and Palestine at Grey’s Monument in Newcastle. I asked Neil Shasousa what the vigil was about and why it was being held.
Who exactly are UK Friends of Standing Together?
UK Friends of Standing Together is part of an international movement supporting the work of Standing Together, which is the biggest joint movement of Palestinian and Jewish citizens in Israel organising against war, racism and the occupation of the West Bank, and campaigning for social justice and equality.
Since October 2023 Standing Together has become the most prominent anti-war voice in Israel, mobilising thousands to demand a ceasefire and hostage deal.
What do Standing Together in Israel want to achieve?
Standing Together’s vision is simple: Israel-Palestine is a homeland to both Palestinian Arabs and Israeli Jews, neither of whom are going anywhere. Freedom and safety for both is only possible via a political settlement that guarantees self-determination, justice and equality for all in the land.
What do UK FOST do? And what specifically does the NE branch do?
UK FoST builds support for Standing Together in the UK by building a membership base and organising activities that promote the work of Standing together in Israel/Palestine and lobbies decision makers in the UK to support Standing Together’s demands, which include:
- Ending the ethnic cleansing of Gaza and the ‘forever war’ against Lebanon and Iran.
- Letting aid flow into and across Gaza
- Sanctioning products made in Israeli Settlements in Palestine
- Ending the occupation of the West Bank
- Ending British arms sales to Israel
Our North East branch, which we set up in early 2025, organises activities and events to inform people in the region about the work of Standing Together and encourages them to join us, and to put pressure on decision makers to support Standing Together’s work and demands. This includes asking the region’s MPs, and leaders of political parties and Trade Unions to support work in Israel / Palestine that promotes peace and curbs the activities of the extremist Israeli Government and its allies in the Settler movement. We also raise money to support Standing Together’s work.
North East Friends of Standing Together is the regional branch, and is made up of supporters of Friends of Standing Together and allies. We set up in early 2025 and have been organising events and activities to highlight the work of Standing Together and its view that full equality for everyone in Israel and the Occupied Territories can be achieved only by Palestinians and Israeli Jews standing together as a united front to demand and create a society where there is true social, economic, and environmental justice.
Why are you putting on a vigil on 19th April and what do you hope the vigil will achieve?
We recognise that many people feel the situation in Israel and the Occupied Territories is without hope and that there is no possibility of Israeli Jews and Palestinians living together in peace in the same land. And that’s exactly what the extremist government in Israel and extremist Palestinian organisations want us to think. But the truth is that the majority of Israeli Jews and Palestinians want security and peace and this will come only through political action to guarantee human rights, justice and equality for all people in Israel and the Occupied Territories.
Our vigil will offer people a space to come together to reflect, make visible their support for Standing Together and others who are building connections between Israeli Jews and Palestinians in the land and engage with interested members of the public to raise the profile of Standing together in the North East.
How can people get involved in UK FOST?
They can become a member of UK FoST by making a monthly contribution (no matter how small) via or make a one-off donation by clicking here.
They can also sign up to our newsletter found here.
And we would love people to join us in the North East by emailing northeast@ukfost.co.uk to find out more.
The Vigil
Sunday 19 April in Newcastle, was bright and slightly chilly in a mid-Spring sort of way. By one o’clock Newcastle city centre was beginning to get reasonably busy, when about 20 members of the Northeast branch of UK Friends of Standing Together gathered together at Grey’s Monument, the famous monument to civil rights in the heart of Newcastle, for their first vigil for justice and peace in Israel and Palestine.
The vigil opened with a speaker noting that while the vigil was a small beginning it was still important, as the branch began building something real, however small it is. It was also mentioned just how vital it is to connect briefly with others and share a different perspective on the ongoing tragedy in Israel and Palestine with the wider public.
This was followed by readings of poetry from Langston Hughes about a world where all can live in peace and respect, by Marmoush about thinking of others and finally recent words from Pope Leo about the billions of dollars spent on killing, while resources needed for healing are nowhere to be found, as the world is being ravaged by tyrants.
We then heard a recording of a song which has become a symbol of the Palestinian diaspora around the world, sung by local singer Becky Owen. This was followed by ten minutes of silence.
The antidote to despair
Many people have been simultaneously outraged and feeling hopeless at the events in Israel and Palestine since 7 October 2023. It is easy to fall into despair at the scenes of devastation from Gaza and the rising tides of Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia which seem to be engulfing this country and much of Europe besides.
UK Friends of Standing Together are the perfect antidote to all those feelings and all the hatred and despair. Here is an organisation that wants to support those in Israel, who are bridging the gap between Arab and Israeli and build a better future for all in the region through practical tasks and remembering our precious common humanity.
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