Thousands marched for Palestine across the country on March 2–3 in the wake of Israel’s massacre of more than 100 starving Palestinians who were trying to get flour from an aid truck southwest of Gaza City.
Israel’s siege on Gaza has stopped Palestinians from accessing food, medical supplies and other crucial aid. A United Nations report found that more than 90% of the population, more than 2 million people, are facing starvation and malnutrition.
This is made worse by the cutting of funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) by Western governments, the main organisation providing aid to Gaza, after Israel claimed its staff were involved in the October 7 incursion.
Labor has refused to restore funding to UNRWA despite foreign minister Penny Wong conceding she has not seen any evidence to support Israel’s allegations.
“Our government has suspended funding to UNRWA when instead it should be restoring it and increasing it,” Greens senator Larissa Waters told the Meanjin/Brisbane rally on March 3, reported Alex Bainbridge.
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Waters said that foreign minister Penny Wong was right to condemn Israel’s attack on food vans but that she’s “not bowled over by the strength of response because senator Wong has said she's going to get her department to have a little word to the Israeli ambassador”.
“That's all she's going to do after we saw desperate parents getting slaughtered [while getting] food for their children.”
The rally had a “Solidarity with Palestinian women” theme in recognition of International Women’s Day on March 8.
Protesters held a minute's silence in recognition of United States airforce serviceperson Aaron Bushnell who self-immolated on February 25 in protest of the US government's participation in genocide.
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Israel has begun its offensive against Rafah, the small city in southern Gaza where 1.4 million people are sheltering. More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7.
A YouGov survey found that more than 80% of Australians support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, showing the Palestine solidarity movement has cut through the establishment media pro-Israel messaging.
Edie Shepherd, from the Tzedek Collective, an anti-Zionist Jewish group told thousands at the rally in Gadigal/Sydney on March 3 that the global Jewish community must “rise up against the dominant Zionist frameworks that wield hate, power militarism to carry out atrocities against Palestinians”, reported Peter Boyle.
“The greatest shame is that our survival of genocide has been weaponised to commit genocide against Palestinians now.”
Nasser Mashni, President of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN), told the March 3 rally in Garramilla/Darwin that “Israelis and Zionists want to kill Palestinians”, reported Stephen W Enciso.
“Palestinians do not want to kill Israels. Indigenous folk do not want to kill their colonisers. They just want to be acknowledged. They want treaty. They want their rights. They want restitution.They want racism to stop and decolonisation to start,” he said.
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Kulumbirigin Danggalaba Tiwi woman Mililma May drew links between the colonial violence faced by Indigenous people in Australia and Palestine.
She pointed to the coronial inquest into the killing of Kumanjayi Walker by former constable Zachary Rolfe, in which Rolfe gave evidence about widespread racism in the Northern Territory Police Force.
“We are witnessing in plain evidence the racism and the deep horror that exists in the NT police, as across the colony,” May said.
“We live in the same states and under the same violence as Palestine. It just manifests itself in different ways.”
A kite-flying for Gaza event was organised by Pilbara for Palestine in Karratha, Western Australia on March 3. Children made and flew kites decorated with Palestinian flags, watermelons and “Free Palestine” in solidarity with the children of Gaza.
Organiser Chris Jenkins told Green Left that the action “demonstrated once again that support for Palestine exists from the CBD to the bush”.
The community also raised money for UNRWA.
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In Muloobinba/Newcastle a “Hands off Rafah” rally and kite-flying event was held on March 2 at Nobby’s Beach, reported Khaled Ghannam.
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Former Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon, who visited Palestine in June last year, said the Israeli occupation impacts everything Palestinians do. “One of the common things that people we interviewed said was ‘please take our voice to the world’,” she said.
“We are part of a massive global movement, millions of people are on the move around the world in so many countries, with a similar message to us: Ceasefire now, restore UNRWA funding, end the occupation.”
She said the UN had called on Australia and other countries to stop arming Israel.
The event was organised by Mums for Palestine and Socialist Alliance.
Hundreds of school and university student across the country walked out of their classrooms for the national Student Strike for Palestine on February 29.
Students at the Naarm/Melbourne rally marched from the State Library to occupy the QV shopping centre, reported Jacob Andrewartha. They demanded an end to the Anthony Albanese governments support for the genocide in Gaza.
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In Gadigal, one student told Green Left that they are “sick and tired of being complicit in genocide”, reported Isaac Nellist. They said they skipped classes to “use their voice to speak out against genocide, alongside hundreds of others”.
Palestinian student Raneem Emad told the crowd to keep protesting because “the Israeli occupation shows no signs of stopping and “the death toll only increases”.
“Make no mistake, this is not war … this is a massacre. It is shocking that it is up to the youth to prove that to our government.”
Alex Salmon reported that more than 200 people joined the Boorloo/Perth student strike. Speakers demanded Australia stop sending weapons and components to Israel.
Police blocked protesters from marching to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Free Palestine Far North Queensland organised the region's biggest Palestine solidarity action to date in Gimuy/Cairns on March 2, reported Jonathan Strauss.
More than 100 people who support a ceasefire and Palestinian rights joined the rally, forming a springboard for a public organising meeting on March 12.
Speakers made the point made the point that solidarity action, where we have a privileged position in terms of opportunities to do this, is vital.
Pro-Palestine activists held a counter-protest in Kaurna Yerta/Adelaide against Christian Zionist groups rallying in support of Israel’s genocide against Palestinians, reported Jordan Ellis.
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The Gadigal/Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade on March 2 featured strong solidarity with Palestine, reported Rachel Evans. Two contingents — Pride in Protest and Rainbow Rebellion (Extinction Rebellion) — chanted pro-Palestine chants and held Palestinian flags and placards.
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An estimated 300,000 people watched the annual parade at Oxford Street on on the ABC livestream. Chants of "Ceasefire Now!" receieved a lot of support from the crowd.
One PiP activist was arrested by NSW Police before the rally for alledgly carrying dangerous screws. Eight Palestinian solidarity activists were arrested after jumping the fence in front of the Labor party float, where NSW Premier Chris Minns was marching, and unfurling a "Queers for Palestine" banner.
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