Greta Thunberg in 2018. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Swedish climate and environmental activist Greta Thunberg commented on the ongoing violence between Israel and the Palestinians.

The 18-year-old posted on Twitter on Monday that it was “devastating to follow the developments in Jerusalem and Gaza” and added “#SaveSheikhJarrah,” in response to a Twitter post by pro-Palestinian activist Naomi Klein about “war crime after war crime” taking place during the conflict.

In a follow-up tweet the next day, she wrote: “To be crystal clear: I am not ‘against’ Israel or Palestine. Needless to say I’m against any form of violence or oppression from anyone or any part. And again — it is devastating to follow the developments in Israel and Palestine.”

Her stance sparked outrage among some social media users, including one who tweeted, “you can’t be neutral. at this point, silence is not just complacency. it’s also endorsement.” Another Twitter user replied with a well-known quote attributed to Italian writer Dante: “The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.”

In 2019, Thunberg showed support for a protest in Tel Aviv that called for action on climate change.