“Israel out of West Bank, Israel out of Gaza”: thousands march for Palestine
Rayana Ajam reports on Saturday’s rally for Palestine.
"To care about Palestine, you don't have to be Palestinian, you don't have to be Muslim, you don't have to be Arab. You just have to be human." - Randa Abdel-Fattah
On Saturday 15th of May, around 15,000 people gathered at Town Hall in Sydney to commemorate the catastrophic massacres and violent expulsions of the 1948 Palestinian exodus, also referred to as the Nakba. Collective cries condemning the events of 1948 were all too connected to Israel’s ongoing massacre and genocidal oppression of the Palestinian people, now bringing this week’s death toll to 212, 61 of which have been identified as children.
Last week, the Israeli Supreme Court's ruling legitimised the forced expulsions and blatant denial of the right of Palestinian families to reside in a contentious region known as Sheikh Jarrah, in East Jerusalem. The ruling essentially enabled the Israeli settlers to rob Palestinian families of their homes, which has escalated into another Israeli massacre of Palestinian people in the besieged Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank.
Protestors took the streets in Sydney to shed light upon this ongoing violence, condemning the actions of the Israeli Apartheid government and calling upon the Australian government to act in support of Palestine.
A Palestinian flag flies below the Australian Indigenous flag. Author’s image.
Vanessa Turnbull Roberts, a Bundjalung woman and proud advocate for the rights of Indigenous Children and People, opened the rally with an emotional acknowledgement to the country. In her inspiring speech, she spoke about the oppression of colonialism that has subjugated both Palestinian people and First Nations people here in Australia.
"We stand with our Palestinian sisters and brothers who don't have access to the resources we have here in Australia, where we have enough funding to provide beds, shelters and quarantine regimes. We stand with our First Nations sisters and brothers. We stand with our Palestinian people. Because as minorities, this colonial system cannot win."
Fouad, a Palestinian refugee, was forced to flee his country in 1939. He was 8 years old when he left, and since then, has been denied the right to return by the Israeli Apartheid government. He reiterated the common struggle with First Nations Australia.
"I would like to acknowledge the first people of this land, the story of the Aboriginal people is the same story of the Palestinian people. Different place and time, but the struggle is all the same."
1 of 5.6 million Palestinian refugees, Fouad was a survivor of the Nakba. He eye witnessed the trauma of the violent dispossession of the Palestinian people.
"I'm standing here, not as an 80-year-old man, but as an 8-year-old boy, who still struggles to understand why I had to leave my home."
A passionate human rights activist and daughter of migrants from Egypt, Lebanon and Palestine, Sarah Saleh dedicates her work to elevating youth and developing communities grounded in the Indigenous struggles for self-determination. She spoke directly to the victims in Palestine.
"Forgive me, I'm sorry that you live a life with the most basic of human rights, the right to live is constantly being desecrated by Israel, as the world chooses to turn a blind eye."
Saleh condemned the media's coverage of the conflict.
"Shame on the media, for seeing everything we see, but choosing to turn around and forget all about me. Your tabloids scream injustice yet your companies preach so much substance. Hypocrites! Shame! Spare me the bullshit, spare me the lies. Call it what it is, a genocide!"
A sign reads “Dear ABC what happened to impartiality?” Auhor’s image.
Dr Ibrahim Abo Mohammad, Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, Greens’ Senator for New South Wales and Randa Abdel-Fattah, Palestinian activist also delivered powerful speeches in solidarity with Palestine before the commencement of the march.
The Israeli bombardment of the Gaza strip has remained ongoing since the crisis erupted again in the region on May 6th 2021. According to a recent report by Al Jazeera, over 38,000 Palestinians have been internally displaced in Gaza. Israel has targeted many Gazan schools, refugee camps, residential homes and buildings which housed media outlets.
Violent clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian people defending themselves in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem have also resulted in 11 deaths and over 1000 wounded.
Palestinians and the global community are desperately seeking an immediate end to the violence and bloodshed. The United Nations Security Council have held three emergency meetings without a resolution as the United States blocked the statement calling for immediate ceasefire.
A sign reads “stop calling it a ‘conflict’ it’s ethnic cleansing”. Author;s image.
The international community will continue their efforts in protesting against the massacres of innocent Palestinians. Students for Palestine are holding a snap speakout tomorrow at 1pm at Fisher Library. Another Sydney-wide rally for Palestine will also be held on Saturday the 22nd of May at the Archibald Fountain in Hyde Park. Details can be found here.