First speaker at the rally in Whitehall outside Downing Street was Palestinian journalist Ibrahim Khadra, who said: ‘It’s the 622nd day of Israeli genocide in Gaza. 622 days of children growing up knowing nothing but genocidal war. 622 days of governments shaking hands with the settlers. 622 days of complicity. My message to the media today is From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free!’
Labour MP for Poplar and Limehouse Apsama Begum, said: ‘The 4th anti-protest bill in four years has been going through Parliament this week. The UK government is fearful of people protesting against it, fearful of protests against Israel’s extermination of thousands of people in Palestine, fearful of protests against the UK ally using UK weapons to kill innocent people. Recognise the Palestinian and the Palestinian people’s right to self defence.’
Humza Yousaf, former Scotland First Minister, said: ‘We are 22 years on from the British invasion of Iraq, 22 years on from Tony Blair lying about Iraq possessing weapons of mass destruction. I say to you today, don’t stop speaking about Gaza. We make it clear to Starmer we will not stand for the genocide you are supporting. Stop selling arms to Israel, recognise the Palestinian State now! Get Netanyahu into The Hague and into jail for the rest of his life.’
MP for Coventry South Zahra Sultana said: ‘It is nearly two years now that we have witnessed the Zionist genocide. It’s not a conflict, it’s not self-defence, it is colonisation. Our government keeps the arms flowing. This government marches in lockstep with the US. This is anti-Palestine racism. Starmer said Israel has the right to cut off Palestinian water and electricity. Now they are beating the wardrum with Iran. We demand an immediate end to all arms sales to Israel and we demand justice to Palestine in the burning present.’
Chris Nineham, Deputy leader of Stop the War Coalition, said: ‘I condemn the attacks on Iran. Iran has invaded no other country since it became a state in 1935. The reason the state is attacking our movement is that they are frightened of us. We demand an end to the threats against Kneecap, Palestine Action and all protesters. They are frightened of us because they fear we will win.’
Carol Turner, CND, said: ‘Hundreds of Palestinians are being killed every day in Israel’s brutal war against Gaza. I also want to address Israel’s attack on Iran and Trump’s support for it. Unlike Iran, Israel does not allow the International Atomic Agency to inspect its Nuclear Facilities.’
Raghat Al Takriti, Muslim Association of Britain, said: ‘How many Palestinians have been killed – and still people say “Israel has the right to protect itself”. From what? From tents? From ghosts? They kill between 100 and 150 Palestinians a day. But Gaza has refused to break. This is a struggle against the same system that deports people unfairly from the US. Victory will come through struggle. We must build institutions founded in dignity.’
Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB) spokesman Abdulrahman Tamimi said: ‘They lied to us about Iraq, Gaza and now they dare lie to us about Iran? Same lies, same agenda, same blood-soaked arrogance.
‘This is not a war. This is not a conflict. This is a genocide. They are bombing homes, schools and even aid distribution centres. Israel is the spoilt brat of the West, and no one has the guts to stop them. Zionism is destruction. It is colonialism. It is apartheid. But do not despair. We will see the borders, the walls, the fences go down. The Israeli flag will go down, and the Palestinian flag will go up.’
PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote said: ‘Israel is emboldened by the continuous support it gets from the US and the UK. If our government will not act against it then we will have to. At our annual conference my union, the PCS, voted to support the recognition of a Palestinian state. End occupation! No war on Iran!’
TSSA General Secretary Maryam Eslamdoust said: ‘My union will not waver in its support. I am an Iranian woman. We Iranians are in great pain. The Iranian people will not surrender our beautiful city Tehran. Iranians will pull together. We will not rise up against ourselves. Iran is not being attacked because it has nuclear weapons it is being attacked because they know it has no nuclear weapons. Israel has committed the ultimate crime – an unprovoked attack on a sovereign country. But instead of it being condemned, the German Chancellor praised it! Palestine must be free and stronger. Long live Iran! Long live Palestine!’
Dr Mohammed Taher, a British-Iraqi surgeon who recently returned from Gaza, described the situation in Gaza’s hospitals as ‘apocalyptic’, echoing the widely documented fact that the healthcare system in Gaza is on the brink of total collapse, with makeshift surgeries conducted without anaesthetic, and children dying from wounds that could have been treated with basic resources.
He said: ‘I have had three missions and seven months in Gaza. I have tried to return but I have been barred. Palestinians in Gaza are screaming in pain and heartbreak day after day. Israel has killed hundreds of thousands and no-one is stopping this. This Zionist regime acts with an impunity never seen before. We demand justice for Gaza, Yemen, Iraq, Iran. This rage, this fire in your heart, let it grow, Stop the genocide. We choose the path of truth, whatever the cost, even if it costs us our lives.’
Sumaya Gunusi, a writer, said: ‘Imperialism’s policy in Iraq was dominate, divide, destroy, leaving one million Iraqis dead. Today in their war on Iran they are employing the same tricks and the German Chancellor said it openly – “Israel does our dirty work”. After Iran they will target Pakistan if they get away with it. But Gaza has become a symbol of defiance. We, the people of the world, believers and non-believers, in our thousands and in our millions demand Freedom to Palestine, Iran and Lebanon.’
Islington MP Jeremy Corbyn said: ‘We are now six months into the deliberate policy of starvation of the Palestinian people. Iran does not have nuclear weapons. We need to stop the bombing of Gaza and Iran. We are a global force for peace. We can and must win this struggle.’
Pop singer Paloma Faith said: ‘As a working woman for 20 months I’ve found it impossible to rest. The children of Gaza are important, special and loved. This is no system I can agree with. It is only on these marches that I feel safe. I will be with you on these marches until the end of the genocide. When people say to me Paloma why get involved, you might lose work or money? When people say this is not my war, I reply that I can’t agree. I can’t agree with the illegal genocide of a people who are mostly children. Because if we accept it there then we accept it everywhere.’
Dr Mohar Azam, Head of the Egyptian Revolutionary Council, said: ‘I salute the last speaker with all my heart. The Gazans are the hungriest people on earth. 100% of Gazans face starvation. Shame on the world. Shame on all countries that arm Israel, including this country. 100,000 Gazans have been killed. The free people of the world have gathered. The al-Sisi regime in Egypt is the lackey of the West. Let us stand together in the struggle for the liberation of Palestine.’
Final speaker, Ben Jamal, of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said: ‘Starmer says the state of Israel is not a genocidal state but a democratic ally. He gives political cover for these atrocities. Israel has violated the sovereignty of Iran and is killing its people in full sight of the world and must be removed from every international arena.’