Israel’s indiscriminate bombardment of Gaza, West Bank and Lebanon, after United States President Donald Trump gave it the okay to unleash “all hell”, has re-ignited pro-Palestine protests across Australia.
On the first day of Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of Ramadan, Israel killed at least 64 people, including children, sheltering in tents. Al Jazeera reported on March 31 that the Palestine Red Crescent was finally able to recover the bodies of eight medics, five civil defence workers and a United Nations employee after their vehicles were bombed by Israel.
This follows a week in which Israeli attacks killed more than 700 people and displaced at least 140,000 more people in Gaza. Israel has stopped all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza for three weeks in a row. During the ceasefire, between 500–600 trucks arrived daily.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting domestic protests from Israelis demanding he do a deal with Hamas to get 59 Israeli captives released.
Hamas said on March 30 it had accepted a new ceasefire proposal from mediators in Egypt and Qatar. Israel is refusing, saying it has a counter-offer (of which it has not released details) and demanding Hamas disarm and leave Gaza. Israel said it was working to implement Trump’s “voluntary emigration plan” for Gaza.
Al Jazeera reported Hamas saying it agreed to a proposal that includes the release of five Israeli captives each week, but it would not lay down its arms.
With a five-week election campaign underway across Australia, pro-Palestine supporters are determined to make Israel’s genocide in Gaza and West Bank a decisive election issue.
A snap rally in Naarm/Melbourne attracted more than 400 people on March 28. Sue Bolton, Socialist Alliance candidate for Wills, told the rally that Israel is “not merely trying to eliminate armed resistance” but trying to kill or expel all the Palestinian people from Gaza.
“They’re still bombing so-called safe zones,” she said.
Bolton called for support for pro-Palestine candidates, “especially strong pro-Palestine supporters”, in the election.
However, she also said that “the elections won’t resolve anything”. She emphasised that the protest movement has to continue, since “it’s only this movement that’s made sure that Palestine is an issue in the election”.
She also called for support for all those people that have been penalised for speaking up for Palestine.
Another rally took place in Naarm/Melbourne on March 30.
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More than 250 protesters in Magan-djin/Brisbane carried flags, signs and a giant Palestinian flag onto the Victoria Bridge on March 30.
The bridge is significant because the Brisbane City Council, while showing solidarity with Israel, has steadfastly refused to offer any support at all for the countless Palestinians slaughtered by Israel.
In the week leading up to the rally, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced that council funding will be withdrawn from the annual Queensland Music Awards.
This decision was a response to QMusic awarding a prize to Kellee Green in one of the music categories for her piece “River to Sea”.
The rally expressed strong support for Green.
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Speakers included Justice for Palestine activist Omar Ashour, unionist Jeff Knight, Wage Peace campaigner Margie Pestorious and Greens candidate for Moreton Remah Naji.
Unionist Nick Riemer spoke at the March 30 rally in Gadigal Country/Sydney.
He lamented the institutional and elite support for Israel’s genocide, saying that “supporting this gut-wrenching orgy of annihilation is effectively now the compulsory admission ticket to social and political power” in this country.
He said that he has “never experienced a darker political moment in my lifetime than the one we’re currently in” and that “it’s not enough to resist Zionist fascism and its enablers at the ballot box”.
“The only thing that will advance justice for Palestine in Australia is a powerful social movement like the one we’re trying to create here — a grassroots campaign that will eliminate public support for Zionism in this country and deprive Israel of the next generation of political agents it needs.”
Protests also took place in the Blue Mountains on March 21, Gimuy/Cairns on March 28 and Muloobinba/Newcastle on March 30.
A cross-faith protest was organised in Garramilla/Darwin on March 29, with speakers from the Charles Darwin University Muslim Students Association, the Uniting Church, Jewish community, and current and aspiring politicians.
Luke Gosling, Labor MP for Solomon, has drawn the ire of the Muslim community for his refusal to meet with constituents and take a strong pro-Palestine stance.
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The National Tertiary Education Union held a national day of action on March 26 and media workers held a snap action on March 29.
Film screenings continue including an April 3 showing of No Other Land in Djilang/Geelong and an April 4 screening of Palestinians Don’t Need Sidewalks in Boorloo/Perth.