‘FROM the river to the sea Palestine will be free,’ 1,000 people shouted outside Downing Street in Whitehall in central London on Wednesday evening.
It was one of hundreds of demonstrations in towns and cities around the world against Israel and in support of Palestine following the Zionist regime’s massacre of 17 children in Gaza over the weekend.
As the demonstration was assembling human rights activist Talia Hale told News Line: ‘There must be a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
‘I work in a campaign called Justice for Neon people. It’s about 13 villages, 25 1,000km of land, taken from the villagers who have been evacuated from their land.
‘They owned the land for 1,400 years. This project was organised by Saudi Arabia with the support of the Israeli regime. It’s just one example of the terror inflicted on the people of the region.’
Shop worker Asim Beg told News Line: ‘I first went to a Palestine march in 2020.
‘I was already in love with the Arabic culture and I’ve literally gone to every one since then.
‘You don’t have to be Palestinian to support Palestine.
‘It lies deep within me.
‘Palestine exists, it is still there, it’s not Israel.
‘The trade unions must organise a boycott of Israel.
‘It is an apartheid state.
‘What has really gone on has nothing to do with religion.
‘Jews and Christians and Muslims must live in peace in Palestine.’
Yis from NOVO said: ‘I am here today to support the fight for Palestine because everyone has the right to self determination.
‘At the moment the current global system allows Israel to use its terror but we will defeat it by our collective strength and by any means necessary.’
First speaker at the rally was Daniel Kabili the president of the National Education Union.
He said: ‘I witnessed apartheid when I went to Israel.
‘The British government is complicit, we don’t want arms sold by our government to Saudi Arabia or Israel.
‘We have to support BDS (boycott divest sanction), we have to join arms around the world to achieve victory to Palestine.’
Saudah Badat from Friends of al-Aqsa said: ‘Where are the sanctions on Israel?
‘For over a century the British have been complicit in crimes against Palestine.
‘Under this Tory government £400 million worth of arms have been sold to Israel.’
Glyn Secker of Jews for Justice for Palestine said: ‘Gaza water supplies are stolen. Gaza is the human testing ground for their disgusting weapons.
‘For millions of Jews around the world we are proud to say “not in our name”.
‘We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Long live Palestine! Long live Gaza!’
Kamala Hawish, Chair of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign said: ‘I originate from Jerusalem, the capital of Palestine.
‘While they were bombing Gaza, over 2,000 settlers were violating the al-Aqsa mosque. ‘Our message to those in 10 Downing Street is: Stop arming Israel, stop supporting Israel’s 74 years of of crimes against the Palestinians.’
Jess Barnard, from Young Labour said: ‘The average age of people living across Palestine is 20, in Gaza it is younger than that, it is 18.
‘The British government supports the Israeli regime, a corrupt apartheid regime.
‘Israel is an apartheid state.
‘We called on all Labour MPs to support Palestine. Keep turning out. Long live Palestine!’
Carol Turner from CND said: ‘We stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Palestine.
‘Last week, Israel launched yet another state bombing of Gaza, killing and injuring hundreds.
‘It’s shaming and disgusting that the British government supports Israel.
‘Israel is one of only nine nuclear weapon states in the whole world.
‘Britain backs Israel and it keeps selling weaponry.
‘Last week Liz Truss said: “The UK stands by Israel and its right to defend itself.”
‘That is a disgusting statement.
‘Stop arming Israel. We’re with you in the fight.’
Delia Mattis from Black Lives Matter said: ‘BLM stands in full solidarity with the people of Palestine.
‘Nelson Mandela and Yasser Arafat stood together. They were called terrorists but they were Freedom Fighters.
‘They led victorious struggles and we will take their struggles forward to greater victories.’
Ben Jamal, of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, was the final speaker. He said: ‘There is no ceasefire. Palestinians have the right to resist and defend themselves. Palestinians are mourning again.
‘The Palestinians in their heartbreak refuse to succumb. Palestinians will never stop their resistance or their belief in the future.’
The rally continued for a further hour as youth accompanied with a tabla drum took up the chanting beginning with: ‘One solution – Intifada Revolution!’
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