Tony Iltis, Melbourne
Following an emergency demonstration of 150 people on July 5 to call for a halt to Israel's military assault on Gaza and recognition of Palestine's national and democratic rights, a second rally supporting these demands and calling for an end to Israel's aggression against Lebanon attracted 600 people on July 15. Both actions were organised by the Melbourne Palestine Solidarity Network (MPSN).
The July 15 rally was addressed by Izzat Abdul Hadi from the Palestinian delegation to Australia; Dr Edmond Milhem from the International Council of Lebanese Migrants; Sheikh Fahmi Imam from the Islamic Society; Taimor Hazou, deputy chair of the Australian Arabic Council; Mohammad Helmy from the Federation of Australian Muslim Students and Youth; Sarah Haynes from the International Solidarity Movement; peace activist Mary Baxter, who has just returned from the West Bank; and Asem Judah from the Palestinian Community of Victoria.
Speakers drew attention to the mounting death toll in both Gaza and Lebanon. Several pointed out that Israel's shelling of Gaza began before the capture of the Israeli soldier that has since been used as the pretext for the aggression. They added that the soldier was part of an artillery unit that was shelling civilians.
The rally marched to the offices of the Australian Broadcasting Commission to highlight, and call for an end to, media bias on the issue. "The asymmetric reporting of the conflict by Australian media is helping cover up the horrors of asymmetric warfare in Palestine", the rally chair, Ema Corro from the MPSN, told Green Left Weekly. "A soldier captured in combat is reported as kidnapped while the taking of civilians from their homes is just 'detention'. A hole in an Israeli road from a home-made rocket gets more media coverage than the pounding of civilian neighbourhoods by warplanes and artillery, while allegations by the Palestinian ministry of health concerning Israel's use of chemical weapons do not seem to merit any media attention at all."
From Green Left Weekly, July 19, 2006.
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