A large community protest calling for a ceasefire in Israel's war on Gaza protested the Prime Minister outside his $5000-a-head dinner in Palmerston.
People held signs demanding the PM condemn Israel’s brutal attacks against Palestinians. They also called for an immediate ceasefire.
But Anthony Albanese did not want to talk to concerned residents outside and neither to a group who went inside. Territorians for Palestine has footage showing the PM slipping into a private function room.
While the activists were peaceful, two plain-clothed officers effectively acted as security guards, grabbing and dragging activists calling out “Ceasefire now!” One man was arrested and driven away in a paddy wagon.
Labor is following the United States and refusing to call for an immediate ceasefire. It abstained from voting on a United Nations resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire and, like the US, continues to assert “Israel has a right to defend itself” — hardly applicable to the current situation.
Israel has dropped more bombs on Gaza in six days than the US dropped on Afghanistan in a year. Last week, it bombed the Jabalya refugee camp, killing 100 people.
Israeli has consistently invoked the rhetoric of dehumanisation and annihilation in relation to the Palestinian people.
Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant describes Palestinians as “human animals”. The same minister personally distributed guns to Israeli citizens. There has also been an increase Israeli settlers inflicting violence in the West Bank since October 7.
Palestinian children continue to be the worst affected by Israeli revenge attacks, with the latest figures showing more than 3000 children have been killed.
The situation for survivors is not much better. Doctors in Gaza have coined a new acronym: WCNSF — “wounded child, no surviving family”. The West’s failure to exert maximum pressure on Israel to ceasefire allows the wilful destruction of life to continue.
Following community protest, Territorians for Palestine posted the following statement on their Facebook page:
“Tonight, the people of Darwin and Palmerston came together on Larrakia land to protest the presence of Prime Minister Albanese and his failure to condemn Israel and call for a ceasefire.
“At an exclusive $5000 a head dinner, Albanese thought he could have a quiet night with his business executive mates, but people standing in solidarity with Palestine gathered inside and outside the venue to call for a ceasefire and an end to genocide.”