On Sunday, November 12, the Swedish environmental activist spoke at a climate march attended by 70,000 people in Amsterdam. Sporting a keffiyeh, Thunberg had just called for a "ceasefire" in Gaza when a man tried to snatch the microphone from her. "I came for a climate protest, not a political point of view," he raged, before being shoved aside. Thunberg and activists began chanting, "No climate justice on occupied land!"
The moment went viral and revealed the extent of dissension within the climate movement, divided between those who defend the young woman's pro-Palestinian stance and others who criticize her lack of solidarity with Israel and her "blindness," even accusing her of not denouncing anti-Semitism sufficiently.
The rift came to light on October 20, after Thunberg posted on social media to her 19 million followers on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. She called for a climate strike "in solidarity with Palestine," posing with three young women amid placards proclaiming "Free Palestine" and "Stand with Gaza." "An immediate ceasefire, justice and freedom for Palestinians and all civilians involved," Thunberg wrote in the post.
Reactions came in quickly: She was criticized for not mentioning the massacres committed by Hamas on October 7 or the 240 hostages held in Gaza. A stuffed blue octopus, which appeared just above her shoulder, became a particular focus point. Some saw it as a symbol used in anti-Semitic cartoons from the 1930s when the octopus was used to represent the alleged domination of the world by Jews.
A few hours later, Thunberg reframed the photo, assuring that she was "totally unaware" that the octopus could be "interpreted as a symbol of anti-Semitism." The stuffed animal, she asserted, "is a tool often used by autistic people as a way to communicate feelings" – she herself is diagnosed with Asperger's. "We are of course against every type of discrimination, and condemn antisemitism in all forms and shapes. This is non-negotiable," she added. In a new post the following day, she clarified, "It goes without saying – or so I thought – that I am against the horrific attacks by Hamas." The tweet is accompanied by the hashtag #StandWithPalestine.
Thunberg's stance aroused controversy in Israel. The country's official account chided her, "Hamas does not use sustainable materials for their rockets which have butchered innocent Israelis. The victims of the Hamas massacre could have been your friends." In an interview with Politico on October 20, former Israeli army spokesperson Arye Sharuz Shalicar said, "Whoever identifies with Greta in any way in the future, in my view, is a terror supporter," before later apologizing for having reacted emotionally.
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