Buddhist monk sets up protest camp in London, demands end to US support for Israel

LONDON (AA) – A Buddhist monk has established a round-the-clock protest camp outside the US Embassy in London, calling for an end to American military support for Israel in the ongoing genocidal war on Gaza.

Ajahn Santamano, who has been participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations across the UK for the past year, maintains a constant vigil at the encampment, engaging with passersby and organizing protests to remind people of the US and West’s “complicity” in the genocide.

“The United States is such a fundamental perpetrator of this genocide happening in Palestine,” Santamano told the media, citing continued US weapons and funding support for Israel.

He specifically criticized the bombing of hospitals and the mass murder of children.

Explaining his motivation through a Buddhist lens, Santamano said: “In Buddhism, we talk about having compassion for all sentient beings. When an actual genocide is happening, I feel it is very important to do everything we can as human beings to try and stop this.”

While acknowledging that institutional Buddhist organizations have largely remained silent on the conflict, he noted that small groups of monastics and individual practitioners have been active in supporting Palestinian causes across Europe, the UK, and the United States.

The encampment has become what Santamano describes as a “utopian bubble,” attracting supporters from various religious backgrounds and age groups. “It is such an inclusive, welcoming space,” he said.

The Israeli army has continued a devastating offensive on the Gaza Strip since last October, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

More than 43,160 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 101,500 others injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its brutal war on Gaza.