“Let me be clear, I will always stand up for Israel's right to defend itself and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself,” Democratic Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris told the Democratic National Convention (DNC) on August 22.
Meanwhile, Israel continued its ethnic cleansing and genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, killing close to 100 people over August 24–25, and displacing 100,000 from the city of Deir al-Balah.
Israel also continued its push for a regional war by intensifying attacks against southern Lebanon on August 25, while claiming it had to act to deter Hezbollah.
This comes weeks after Israel is widely believed to have killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
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Thousands took part in the 46th weekly protest against Israel’s genocide and the Australian Labor government’s support for it in Gadigal Country/Sydney on August 25
Pip Hinman reports that speakers emphasised the importance of mass public protests to end the genocide. “Protesting works,” Palestinian activist Zizi Charida said. “It lets Palestinians know we haven’t stopped caring.” It also places pressure on the powers-that-be and tells them we will not give up until Palestine is free, she said.
Charida said the boycott, sanctions and divestment movement was also important and the struggle for Palestine has become “the moral cause of our time”.
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Another speaker, a survivor of the Srebrenica genocide, drew the parallels between the 1995 genocide in Bosnia, in which more than 8000 men and boys were killed by Serbian paramilitaries, and the genocide in Gaza today.
“Then, the atrocity took place in a ‘safe haven’, she said. “I was a 13-year-old and only narrowly escaped death … My mum’s family were all killed … my maternal grandma is still missing after 29 years.
“My childhood was stolen,” she said, adding that it has affected her ability to find joy in everyday moments. “We have lived through the unimaginable. We cannot ignore the plight of those suffering such oppression.”
Peter Slezak, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of New South Wales, commended those Jewish groups who come week after week to the rally. He also put paid to claims that protesting against genocide is “antisemitic”.
“I know antisemitism — and it’s not here at this rally,” he said to applause.
He also criticised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and foreign minister Penny Wong for taking so long to say they support “a ceasefire — of sorts”.
It was announced on August 23 that Australia is set to take command of the combined task force against the Houthi’s in the Red Sea from October.
The mission is aimed at “safeguarding shipping routes” from Houthi attacks, which aimed to disrupt Israeli military actions and trade routes in response to the genocide.
This means Australia will be directly involved in military operations supporting Israel in the region, in addition to the Albanese government's financial and political support for Israel and military intelligence from the Pine Gap spy base.
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Inner West for Palestine and Canterbury-Bankstown for Palestine organised a protest on the border of the two local government areas demanding sanctions against Israel, reports Zebedee Parkes.
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More than 500 people marched in Magan-djin/Brisbane on August 25 in the latest rally against Israel's genocide.
Alex Bainbridge reports that Phil Monsour from Justice for Palestine Magan-Djin (JFP) pointed out that as spring is almost here it means we have been marching against "four seasons of genocide".
JFP is planning a major mobilisation on October 13 on the one-year anniversary of Israel's genocide.
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Palestinian-Australian Remah Naji, who recently announced she was standing for the Greens in the federal seat of Moreton, chaired the rally.
Moreton is currently held by Labor MP Graham Perrett, who claims to be a friend of Palestine but has not done anything meaningful to end Australia’s complicity with the genocide.
Naji told the crowd that "hope is activism”, to great applause. “Hope is not the light at the end of the tunnel like they told us. It is collective action towards liberation, justice and peace, even when we're smeared, even when there is no light at the end of the tunnel."
Another highlight was Construction Forestry Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) delegate Oliver, who spoke out against Labor's attack on the union and against Labor's lack of action on Israel.
Pointing out that no accusations of links with criminals had been made against the Queensland CFMEU branch, he told Labor to look at its own connection to the "war criminals in Israel".
"You can't beat the CFMEU, you can't beat Palestine, you can't beat the working class," he said.
Before the rally, a Christian Zionist group organised a protest in the same location. “These are the same people who stand against abortion rights and queer rights and they came into our city carrying Israeli flags and Australian flags,” First Nations activist Sam Watson told the crowd.
"The founding values of Australia and New Zealand are colonial violence and land theft just like they are in Israel. I am furious that they think they can call a piss-weak little rally, an hour before us, and think they can scare us away."
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Hundreds defied wet weather to march in Boorloo/Perth on August 25 demanding Labor sanction Israel for its war crimes.
Alex Salmon reports that the police had initially refused a permit to march, however they backed down and protesters marched through Northbridge.
Speakers said Australia, like the US, Britain and the European Union, has refused to impose any meaningful sanctions on Israel despite the International Court of Justice finding that Israel is illegally occupying Palestinian Territories and that there is a plausible case Israel that is committing genocide.
Protesters demanded Labor cut ties with Israel and impose a two-way arms embargo.
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Protesters in Tharawal/Wollongong marked 322 days of genocide on August 24, reports Indrek Torilo. Speakers highlighted that this is only the latest in 76 years of ongoing genocide.
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Jordan Ellis reports that healthcare workers in Kaurna Yerta/Adelaide held a vigil at Rundle Mall on August 23 in solidarity with healthcare workers being targeted and killed by Israel in Gaza. They demanded an end to Australia’s complicity in the genocide.
A large crowd joined the weekend rally outside Parliament on August 25. despite the wet weather.
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Nasser Mashni, Australia Palestine Advocacy Network president, called out Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s racism at the 46th weekly rally in Naarm/Melbourne on August 25,
Jonathan Remnac reports that Mashni said Dutton’s push to ban all Palestinians fleeing genocide from entering Australia “is his way of saying anyone who isn’t a cisgender, white man” is not welcome.
He also pointed out that almost all the 9000 Israelis who had applied to come to Australia had been allowed in.
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Academic and National Tertiary Education (NTEU) member Sophie Rudolph said “decolonising institutions is key in fighting for Palestinians”.
Another NTEU member, Jasmine Ali, said Australian universities have become “engine rooms in collaboration with Israeli and US imperialism”. “Every tie must be cut.”
Ali pointed out the CFMEU's role in supporting the Palestine solidarity movement, including raising the Palestinian flag over more than 50 sites.
She said it was important to defend the CFMEU from the attacks it is facing and urged everyone to attend the national mobilisations on August 27. “Peace is union business … we need to stand in solidarity with the CFMEU.”
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During the march, a recreation of Israel’s murder of 6-year-old Hind Rajab, her family and paramedics was performed next to Bourke Street Mall.
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Pro-Palestine activists protested the annual Hunter Defence Conference in Cessnock on August 21, reports Kerry Smith. The conference aimed to promote the Hunter as a good place for the burgeoning arms industry.
The protest was organised by various groups including No Weapons for Genocide, Food not Bombs and University of Newcastle Students for Palestine.
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Meanwhile, the “We vote for Palestine” group, an alliance of Palestine activists and solidarity groups, has launched a pledge for candidates in the NSW and Victorian local council elections.
The NSW pledge asks candidates to: support a ceasefire; divestment from apartheid Israel; supporting the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court decisions; supporting Palestinian refugees; putting a ceasefire motion through council; and creating sister-city relationships with cities in Gaza.
The Victorian pledge asks candidates to: support council resolutions denouncing Israel’s occupation, apartheid and genocidal war on Palestine; ensure council adopts active and consist positions on human rights; and update council’s procurement and investment policies to divest from companies that support the occupation of Palestine.
The group has created a placard for supporters to place on fences, balconies and windows.
[Find out more at wevoteforpalestine.net.]