A prominent Palestinian activist sparked outrage during a pro-Palestine demonstration outside the Israeli embassy in London on Tuesday, declaring that the site would soon become a Palestinian embassy and that there could be no peace in the Middle East until Israel is destroyed. The remarks, captured on video and widely shared on social media, have been described by critics as openly genocidal in intent.
Saleem Nussibeh, president of the University College London (UCL) Students for Justice in Palestine Society, addressed the crowd during the rally, emphasizing the goal of dismantling the "Zionist entity" and ending Israeli statehood. In a clip from the event, Nussibeh stated: "Tomorrow, this will be the embassy of Palestine […] there won’t be an Israel anymore." He further referred to Israel as "the tumor in the body of the Middle East," asserting that "there will be no peace in the Middle East until Israel is destroyed." The audience responded with chants of "Palestine is Arab" and "Intifada! Intifada!" in apparent support of his calls for the end of Israeli existence and the establishment of Palestine within its 1948 borders.
The video footage, originally from "The Crispin Flintoff Show" on YouTube, was highlighted in a report by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), a Washington-based organization that monitors extremist rhetoric in the region. MEMRI described the speech as part of a broader pattern of anti-Israel activism in the UK, linking it to demands for the "de-Zionisation" of the area and the use of military force to "evacuate" Israelis.
Nussibeh, a student activist known for his involvement in pro-Palestine campaigns, has a history of leading similar demonstrations. In January 2022, as president of UCL's Palestine Society, he spoke at an anti-Israel rally where protesters chanted "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," a slogan often interpreted by critics as a call for the elimination of Israel. He has also participated in events organized by the Palestinian Return Centre and discussed topics like Palestinian right of return in panels as far back as 2021. Nussibeh has previously voiced concerns about the UK becoming a "hostile environment" for Palestinian activism amid rising scrutiny of pro-Palestine groups.
The rally occurred amid ongoing tensions in the Israel-Palestine war, with pro-Palestine demonstrations continuing across Europe following the escalation of violence in Gaza and Judea and Samaria. While the event drew hundreds of participants waving Palestinian flags, it has not yet been covered by major pro-Palestine outlets such as Al Jazeera or Middle East Eye, possibly due to its recency. However, social media posts, including one from activist Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) on X (formerly Twitter), labeled the statements as "openly genocidal," prompting widespread condemnation from pro-Israel voices.
