Amidst the Trump world chaos of Minnesota, Venezuela and Iran, and against the tragic background of a so-called ‘ceasefire’ in Gaza, 100,000 people turned out in solidarity for the 34th National March for Palestine in Central London. A peaceful march in support of Palestinian resilience in the Gaza strip and West Bank, amidst freezing winter conditions in Gaza and increased IDF & settler violence in the WB. As we know, more than 500 have been killed in Gaza since the latest ‘ceasefire’ including one child a day. Devastating and trivially evil border exclusions like tents - but no tent poles - and no baby formula just illustrate the ongoing Israeli strategy to make life unliveable for Palestinians
It was heartwarming to see photographer Misan Harriman once again amongst those documenting the march. He has been a daily outspoken spokesperson for the ongoing injustice, calling out by name ‘the great and the good’ and celebrities to put their heads above the parapet and speak out in solidarity, even if, like him, they lose friends and work opportunities in the process. Check out his Instagram where he also praises the many Jewish voices joining our protests.
Speeches on the march were graphic and emotional, introduced by PSC with the defiant statement that “we won’t stop protesting until the sun rises on a free Gaza and a free Palestine”.
The numbers below are what the speakers quoted.
A selection of the speakers today included:
Tariq Othman – Palestine Forum in Britain who rightly names as ’hostages’ the 10,000 so-called ‘prisoners’ held by Israel, including 100s of children, saying they were kidnapped by Israel, and now held in torture camps not prisons, many uncharged and untried, in an aim to break their bodies and spirit. Tariq is one of those leading the Red Ribbons campaign for Palestinian hostage support and release.
John Mc Donnell MP - He has recently visited the hunger strikers and calls out the shame of the government by holding them on remand for two years. He declares solidarity with Palestine Action and hoped their future just fate in court. He also calls for the prosecution of British citizens fighting in the IDF against another state, a punishable crime now that we have recognised the State of Palestine.
Maryam Eslamdoust – Gen Sec Transport & Salaried Staff Assoc who says the power of ordinary people “pushing where government power refused to move” and economic pressure are our biggest tools in this struggle.
Clare Hinchcliffe – mother of Filton 24 Zoe Rogers. Clare calls out the ‘eye-watering complicity’ of our government in allowing Elbit to produce and sell 85% of the drones in Israel and all the killer quadcopters. She calls it an unholy alliance with Israel and says it shows the govt stance that protecting property is more important than protecting its own citizens and preventing genocide. She also read out her emotional & condemnatory poem in support of her daughter and the others held and she ended by asking all to pray for a just outcome at trial.
Ghassan Abu Sittah – Reconstructive Surgeon in Gaza & Rector of Glasgow Univ. He states that at the time of speaking on Saturday afternoon, and by dawn in Gaza, 28 more Gazans have already been killed during the ‘ceasefire’ including six children. He says the genocide will continue whatever else unfolds “because Israel has put in place all the elements to ensure it, including hypothermia, untreated wounds, and diseases”. Amongst the thousands of hostages in Israeli prisons are many of his colleagues including Dr Abu Safiyeh, still being held untried, tortured and denied medical care. Ghassan calls out the British Medical Council for ‘going after’ any UK-based doctors and nurses who stand in solidarity with Palestine saying the BMC is complicit in the genocide. He finished with a rallying quote often used by the ANC said by Nkrumah: “Forward ever, backward never.”
Andrea Egan – General Secretary Unison. She says the Labour current policy is “a betrayal of everything the Labour govt ever stood for”. She says that the government is stripping away our freedoms to undermine our values and protect genocide. Just as her union does in the UK, she said we must stand with public service workers, including carers, educators and ambulance crews in Gaza and Palestine.
Chris Nineham – Vice Chair of Stop The War Coalition. His trial comes up on 23 Feb. He states that the terror in Gaza has poisoned world politics and referenced Iran, Greenland and Venezuela. In his belief to stop all war, his stance is that “we should not be conscripted into fearing China, Iran and Russia”. He states, “the real enemy is at home with increasing oppression and the rise of the right”. He points out that the so-called Board of Peace plans to make millions out of the people of Gaza but that we would not forget them.
Zarah Sultana MP – now Your Party. As well as being subjected to huge verbal and physical abuse herself for her stance against this government’s policy on Palestine, Zarah also points out that British councils are being threatened if they oppose genocide. She cries shame on Keir Starmer and David Lammy, says we should cut all ties with Israel and resist the Board of Peace. Only the Palestinian people must decide their own fate. Not the Board of Peace. Israel has this week ‘accepted’ the figure of 70,000 killed but as she points out, Hamas only counts the bodies it can actually see to document them and there are tens of thousands buried, and therefore undocumented and uncounted under the rubble.
Frankie Boyle - Together Alliance. The alliance is made up of over 50 campaigns and organisations including Amnesty, Friends of the Earth, Fire Brigades Union, Choose Love, trade unions, and many others. Together they are acting against the far right, to bring “a message of hope over fear” and they stress that we must not stay silent. Their speaker ended by quoting the well-known truth that “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”.
Juliet Stevenson – actor. She begins by recalling that January 29th was the anniversary of the killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab when 355 bullets were fired into her car holding six dead family members. The harrowingly tragic film The Voice of Hind Rajab is now on general release. Juliet says Hind is a symbol of resistance but is of course only one of 60,000 (her figure) adults plus many thousands of children killed, maimed, and tortured in the genocide. To this is added the six children killed in Khan Yunis today and includes the 100 children killed since the so-called ceasefire. She again mentions the fact that the Gaza Health Ministry only counts those it can see and document as killed. She worries that “false propaganda has taken hold and that lies about the reality of the situation continue to spread and fester like a virus”. However, she says that “despair is a luxury we cannot afford” and mentions the small but not insignificant triumph of our government cancelling the Elbit £2 billion contract. She ends by quoting the anthropologist Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Belal Stitan – representing Gaza Families – gave an impassioned forceful speech on behalf of the families including his own. He has lost his aunt and other members of his family but stresses the random irony that Gazan and Palestinians’ fate in life is “limited by mere chance” and that he, Belan, “happen to find myself free”. He states that Palestinians are not pawns in a game and that their strength will rule over immorality and that they will not die in silence.
Jeremy Corbyn MP - Stresses the importance of global solidarity saying Palestine can’t be treated as marginal or distant. He mentions the 4000 administrative detention detainees as a violation of international law. He reiterates his opposition to any Trump peace plan and states that those who destroyed Gaza should pay to rebuild it. There can be no genuine peace without the return of Palestinian displaced refugees to their villages. Ending genocide must be an international policy.
Many more speakers than usual ended an afternoon amongst like-minded people whose reason for coming together is to uphold basic humanity, to demonstrate solidarity in the face of the ongoing suffering of the Palestinian people, to protest against the ongoing genocide and settler attacks, and to support all Palestinians living under an apartheid system of injustice, lack of all basic freedoms and unequal rights. Not a bad to reason to keep going eh?!
Onwards!