By Dave Wright
SYDNEY — Ten thousand people demonstrated on April 20 against the renewed bombing and continued occupation of southern Lebanon by the Israeli government. The rally was organised by the Lebanese Australian Solidarity Committee with Lebanon.
To chants of "Israel out, out", the rally marched to the US consulate via the Israeli consulate. Speakers from the Lebanese community condemned the attacks against the people of Lebanon and called for an immediate end to the bombing and the withdrawal of troops from Lebanese soil.
A speaker from the Liberal Party and Anthony Albanese, Labor MP for Grayndler, condemned "acts of terrorism" but stopped short of condemning Israel or calling for its withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
Demonstrators, Lebanese of many generations, were outraged by the senseless bombing of a UN refugee compound on April 19 in which more than 100 people were killed and hundreds more injured. Their anger was reflected in many of the placards and banners which called for the slaughter to stop.
One demonstrator, Rose from the Sydney Arab Feminist Alliance, told Green Left, "I'm here to protest the Israeli bombing of my country. I'm here to have my say as a Lebanese Australian."
Nikolai Haddad, a member of the Middle East Society at Macquarie University and a Resistance activist, also condemned the bombings. "Australian and other governments must unconditionally condemn Israel for these mass murders. For a lasting peace in the region, Israel must withdraw from Lebanon and Palestine and allow the people of these countries to make decisions for themselves without fear of military retribution", he told Green Left.
A rally in support of Cuba which called on the US government to lift the 30-year economic blockade, taking place at the same time at Town Hall, joined in solidarity with the Lebanese people to underscore the point that the US should stop its dirty role in both countries.