'Hands off Lebanon, Hands off Gaza', demand protesters across Australia

As the increasingly internationally reviled and isolated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a United Nations General Assembly on September 28 that there is “no place” its weapons cannot reach — just days after the United States delivered more lethal weapons — many UN delegations walked out.

Huge protests were organised across the world, including in Sweden, France, Finland, Jordan and Kashmir.

Israel probably used US-made 2000-pound bombs in the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, the Washington Post reported on September 29. A US Department of Defense official told the WP he had never seen so many bombs used against a single target.

An Israeli Defense Forces video showed eight F-15 jets carrying at least 16 of these bombs, which can penetrate up to 1.8 metres of reinforced concrete, taking off. At least four large buildings in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh were flattened. Warplanes then dropped at least five additional munitions, known as “daisy chains”.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said on September 29 that Israel had killed 1030 people, including women and children, since mid-September; more than 6352 people have been wounded.

More have been killed since by Israel’s bombing campaign. Up to 1 million people have been forced to sleep and live on the streets, reported Al Jazeera. Many are fleeing Lebanon for Syria.

Meanwhile, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling on Israel to end its illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories. The motion passed a 124–14 vote on September 18, with 43 countries, including Australia, abstaining.

Snap rallies were held across Australia in response to Israel’s bombing of Lebanon, including in Naarm/Melbourne, Gadigal Country/Sydney and Magan-djin/Brisbane.

Palestine rallies on the September 29 national day of action organised by the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) — week 51 of the national protests — also showed solidarity with the people of Lebanon against Israel’s brutal attacks.

Hundreds rallied at Kombumerri/Gold Coast, reports Susan Price. “So many people are feeling so much despair and grief about the bombing of Lebanon on top of the trauma in Gaza."

The rally in Surfers Paradise was “very spirited” she said. Labor has “failed time and time again to condemn Israel”, Price added.

“Albanese and Wong are speaking from the script that Israel is writing.”

Thousands marched through Gadigal Country/Sydney on September 29 chanting “Netanyahu you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide”, reports Peter Boyle. 

The protest against Israel’s genocide in Palestine and Lebanon was part of a national day of action organised by the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN), in collaboration with many local groups.

It condemned Western governments, including Australia, for continuing to fund and arms Israel’s naked acts of terrorism and genocide and for allowing the Netanyahu government to carry out serial war crimes with impunity. 

This was the 51st consecutive week of protests against Israel’s genocide in Gaza. This march was bigger than average as large numbers turned out from the Lebanese Australian community to express their grief and concern as well as resilience in resisting Israel’s attacks. 

The week before, nearly 200 musicians volunteered their talents for the Voces Caelestium ensemble’s 10th Anniversary Charity Concert for Palestine on September 22, reports Khaled Ghannam. 

Despite facing political censorship and other obstacles, the 1500-capacity Sydney Town Hall was packed out for the choir and orchestral performance, which featured Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No 2, to raise funds for the  Palestine Children’s Relief Fund’s life-saving work in Gaza.

Mountains for Palestine organised a protest in Katoomba, on Dharug and Gundungura lands as part of the September 29 national day of action.  About 60 people joined the rally to support Palestine and Lebanon against Israel’s attacks. 

Katoomba community member Austin Gerassimos told the crowd about his experiences living in Lebanon during Israel’s 2006 invasion. 

Gerassimos went to Lebanon as an exchange student and worked as a journalist during the invasion. He spoke about his efforts to report and capture Israel’s war crimes, and pointed out the many parallels with the current attacks. 

Friends of Palestine Port Macquarie held a rally for Palestine and Lebanon as part of the September 29 national day of action, reports Brian Mahony. 

“We are coming close to a year of unprecedented cruelty,” said organisers. “Today we are gathering in solidarity with our Palestinian brothers and sisters.” 

Lebanese Australian woman Jane said “a lot of people in the local area are not aware of the history”. “This particular genocide may have started on October 7 last year but the oppression of the Palestinian people has been going on for decades, since the Nakba in 1948.

“Its really important that we gather in solidarity, raise awareness and educate when people are willing to engage in discussions with us.”

Activists from Gumbaynggirr Country/Bellingen travelled to join the rally. “We are regional groups showing that we will not be silent and we will do anything it takes to share the truth and expose Israel’s war crimes,” they said. 

Maddie, an organiser with Friends of Palestine Port Macquarie, said she was “so grateful the community has been able to come together and stand for human rights and freedom”. 

“It’s been absolutely heart wrenching to watch the war crimes and attrocities unfold in Gaza and the West Bank and now Lebanon and see our elected officials remain complicit and indifferent.”

Hundreds marched in Gimuy/Cairns on September 29 demanding an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon. 

Speakers included Dr Akil Islam and Dr Adrian Conner, representing Palestinian Australian New Zealand Medical Association Far North Queensland, and Greens candidate for Cairns Josh Holt. 

Islam said there is a “connection between tyranny and ill health”. He said the impacts of colonialism and violent land theft could be seen in lower life expectancy of First Nations people and Palestinians. 

Conner said Israel is targeting medical workers and journalists. He also said some Palestinian doctors in Australia had been doxxed and harassed by Zionist groups. 

Robynne Murphy and Lou-anne Barker report from nipaluna/Hobart that Nadia Refaei chaired the weekly protest focused on freeing Palestine and Lebanon on September 29. The October 5 rally will march from the Grand Chancellor Hotel to Parliament House.

The day before, activists held a strike for Palestine at Elizabeth Street Mall. They handed out leaflets to draw attention to companies on the boycott, divestment and sanctions list, such as HP Packard.

Thousands rallied at the State Library of Victoria in Naarm/Melbourne against the ongoing genocide, displacement and dispossession in Palestine and Lebanon. 

The rally also prominently featured solidarity with the de-colonial struggle in Kanaky, Eelam Tamils, refugee justice, as well as many speakers making reference to Sudan where horrific violence has recently been carried out against civilians in the North-Darfur capital Al-Fashir.

Yousef Alreemawi, Palestinian activist and educator, asserted that theatre, poetry and music are forms of cultural resistance and dissent, citing the acclaimed anthems of Palestine liberation 'Mawtini' and 'Zahrat al-Mada'en' as examples.

Alreemawi also spoke of the history of imperialist oppression of Arab nations in the region by European powers, including the forced drafting of Palestinians to fight in World War I.

Cathy, from Kanaky Solidarity Naarm, linked Kanaky's resistance to French colonialism with Palestine and Lebanon, referencing the Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916 to demonstrate that France is “deeply implicated” in the situation in Palestine and Lebanon.

Jorge Jorquera, Victorian Socialists councillor in Maribyrnong, exclaimed that only a mass movement of people, acting in solidarity with the oppressed, is powerful enough to win liberation. 

He said people should look for alternatives from Labor and the Coaltiion in the upcoming local government elections. "When those politicians come knocking on your door, ask them 'will you stand for Palestine?'"

Hundreds joined the weekly rally in Tharawal/Wollongong on September 28 to oppose Israel's attacks on Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank. 

Students at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) voted for their university to cut ties with Israel at a historic student general meeting on September 25. 

More than 500 students joined the meeting, which was moved to outdoors to the Globe Lawn due to the high turnout. They voted 501 to 17 for the university to disclose, divest and end research partnerships with weapons companies.

UNSW currently has almost $3 million invested in weapons companies, including a $1.4 million grant to Lockheed Martin in 2021.