Bi-partisan cruelty to refugees and asylum seekers and Israel’s genocidal attacks on Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank drew people to the traditional rallies for peace and justice on Palm Sunday, April 13, across the country.
As the last operational hospital in Gaza was bombed by Israel, the world faces a choice — to back the genocidal apartheid state of Israel or stand up for Palestine.
Targeting hospitals is a war crime. Targeting displaced Gazans sheltering in tents is also a war crime.
According to Al Jazeera on April 14, Israel now controls about 50% of the Gaza Strip, while 2.1 million people are squeezed into the remaining areas.
No food, water, hygiene items or fuel has entered Gaza since early March.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 50,983 Palestinians have been killed and 116,274 have been wounded since October 2023. Most believe the real death count is far higher because a war makes it impossible to compile an accurate count.
The World Health Organisation said it was trying to bring medical aid into Gaza but had not “received permission” from Israel.
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Jim McIlroy reports from Gadigal Country/Sydney that the Palm Sunday rally highlighted refugee rights, justice for Palestine and stopping the AUKUS military alliance.
About 500 people at Belmore Park heard from: Abishek Selvakumar, from the Tamil Refugee Association; Reverend Rod Benson, from the NSW Ecumenical Council; Ruth Mitchell, from the International Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons; Lebanese Australian author Sara Haddad; Natasha Watt, from the NSW Teachers Federation; and a representative from the Palestine Action Group. The protest marched along Broadway to Victoria Park.
Over the last four years under Labor, 10,000 asylum seekers who were rejected under the now discredited fast-track system, or transferred here from Manus and Nauru, were still denied permanent visas.
Labor is now trying to deport refugees to Nauru who were released from detention by the High Court. Since Labor was elected, nine asylum boats have also been turned around at sea, potentially returned to danger.
Labor has refused to lift Scott Morrison’s ban on accepting refugees waiting in Indonesia, which means 14,000 refugees, including 7000 Afghans, remain stranded there.
Speakers urged people to “keep fighting for humanitarian refugee policies” and “to end the alliance with the US war machine”.
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The Refugee Action Collective Illawarra held a Palm Sunday rally for refugees in Tharawal/Wollongong on April 13. Zaki Haidari, a Hazara refugee from Afghanistan, led the 100-strong crowd in calling for the closure of all detention centres, on and offshore, full work and study rights and income support for asylum seekers and the scrapping of the ALP’s shameful new deportation law.
Andrew Chuter, Socialist Alliance candidate for the NSW Senate, said the federal election is a chance to “send a clear message to the Albanese Labor government: You’ve had three years in power to ensure Australia abides by international law on asylum seekers and show some humanity and you have failed!
“Labor came to power with a number of promises for refugees and asylum seekers: it said it was different to the Coalition … But its deadly migration removal bill gave the immigration minister Andrew Giles powers to send people seeking Australia’s protection back to countries where they could be killed.”
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A vigil for the 15 aid workers massacred by Israel in March was held in Gimuy/Cairns on April 11, with a moment’s silence held for the victims.
Speakers highlighted that Australian arms manufacturers are supplying weapons to Israel.
Jonathan Strauss, Socialist Alliance candidate for the Queensland Senate, said Australia should cut ties with Israel. He drew parallels between the treatment of Palestinians and the treatment of First Nations people here.
“Let’s put solidarity with Palestine at the top of the agenda this election,” Strauss said.
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About 50 people joined the Mountains for Palestine rally for Gaza in Katoomba on April 12.
Speakers included: Jordi Pardoel, from Western Sydney University (WSU) for Palestine; Markela Panegyres, National Tertiary Education Union member and Unionists for Palestine activist; and Socialist Alliance NSW Senate candidate Peter Boyle.
“We all know that the genocide is carried out by Israel and the US with the full backing of smaller imperialist lackeys like Australia,” Panegyres said. “The complicity of Labor, the mainstream media and our civil institutions, including universities, is reprehensible.”
Pardoel spoke about the ties between Australian universities and the weapons companies arming Israel; in particular, outlining the close links between WSU and Israeli company Syqe.
Boyle said Labor and the Liberals fully backed Israel’s genocide in Gaza. He pointed to the recent debate between Dutton and Albanese where Dutton said he would “do the same thing” as Israel if Australia was in the same position.
He said Albanese lied, claiming Australia had nothing to do with the genocide, despite Labor’s ongoing support — including political and economic support, arms and military intelligence — for Israel.
Mountains for Palestine are holding monthly rallies on the second Saturday of every month.
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Anti-war and community activists joined the Palm Sunday rally in Muloobinba/Newcastle on April 13.
“One of the wars going on globally is the war on workers and trade unions,” said Steve O’Brien, long-time unionist and Socialist Alliance candidate for Newcastle. He said the peace movement should care about trade unions because of the long history of unionists opposing war.
O’Brien said everyone should support the Construction Forestry and Maritime Employees’ Union against Labor’s undemocratic attacks.
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