Free Gaza protests: 'All we want for Mothers Day is a free Palestine'

Thousands rallied around Australia on the weekend of May 12, for the 31st consecutive weekend of protests against Israel's genocide and Australia's complicity.

Many brought home-made signs highlighting the desperate plight of Gazan mothers on Mother's Day.

One person in Naarm/Melbourne carried a sign reading: “Happy Mother's Day: 37 mothers killed daily; at least 19,000 orphans; 15,000 kids killed and counting”.

“Albo, Wong, the ALP have the blood of Palestinian mothers on their hands,” read another sign.

Other messages included “What about mothers in Gaza?” and “Don't tell me Happy Mother's Day while Palestinian mamas bury their babies”.

Numerous rally-goers and speakers echoed this sentiment.

Gabrielle de Vietri, Victorian Greens MP, told the rally: “You don't have to be a mother to let the rage and the sorrow of a mother's love fill your hearts as you chant ‘Free, free Palestine!’.”

Other speakers included Najwa Arab and Michelle Coleman from Mums for Palestine, and Palestinian sustainability academic Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh, who is on a national speaking tour.

Socialist Alliance Merri-Bek Councillor Sue Bolton told Green Left that Palestinians in Gaza are heartened by knowing here are protests for them all over the world.

“We may find it tiring to keep protesting each week, after seven months, but we've got to think about how exhausting it is for Palestinians resisting and trying to survive.”

Peter Boyle reported that 7000-8000 — more than in recent weeks — marched in Gadigal/Sydney on May 12. Many placards reflected on the plight of mothers in Gaza and the crowd included many mothers, some pushing their babies and children in prams.

The protest marched to the University of Sydney Gaza solidarity encampment to show support for the students. It was at Australia's oldest university that students were among the first to follow the example of the United States students.

Palestinian activist Jana Fayyad kicked off rally with this question: “After seven months of genocide, after 76 years of occupation and apartheid, our so-called prime minister seems to have an issue with all people living between the River and the Sea. Why don't we show him what we think of that?”

The crowd replied with the chant: “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free!”

Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had earlier labelled the slogan “violent”, “provocative” and “incompatible with a two-state solution”.

A Mother's Day protest in Kaurna Yerta/Adelaide on the same day, highlighted that “two mothers are killed every hour as Israel continues it’s genocide” and that “70% of the Palestinian victims of Israel’s genocide are women and children”.

The rallies came two days after Australia, along with 142 other countries, voted for a United Nations resolution that supported steps “towards” Palestinian statehood. Nine countries — including the United States and Israel — voted against, with 25 abstaining.

Australia’s vote was condemned by Israel, the Coalition opposition, Zionist organisations, the Murdoch media and even pro-Zionist Labor politician Josh Burns.

The vote reflects the pressure on Labor from the pro-Palestinian movement.

However, Foreign Minister Penny Wong was quick to clarify that Palestinian statehood was an aspiration and could only come after Israel and Palestine had negotiated two states.

Wong had intimated that Australia would abstain but, as the resolution was significantly watered down, Australia voted in favour. She also emphasised Labor's “rejection of Hamas”, thereby siding once again with Israel's genocidal slaughter.

The decision means that Israel's occupation partner, the Palestinian Authority, has additional rights at the UN, including election to committees and more rights in debate, but Palestine is still denied full membership and voting rights.

The weekend rallies came as Israel escalated its attacks on Rafah, a tiny area where most of Gaza's population had either fled to or been pushed to move to.

Emergency rallies were also held in Gadigal/Sydney and Naarm/Melbourne on May 7, as Israeli troops entered Rafah.

In Boorloo/Perth, around 500 people joined an emergency rally in Forest Place on May 10. Alex Salmon reports that the action was organised by Friends of Palestine WA.

Kamala Emanuel reports from Magan-djin/Brisbane that hundreds joined an emergency action on the same day to demand a ceasefire.

The action was part of a global “All eyes on Rafah” day of action and was bigger than the fortnightly rallies of recent weeks. Binil Kattiparambil from Queensland Muslims expressed support for Palestinian resistance and resilience.

The rally also included a sit-in at Reddacliff Place, where activists spoke about the connection between military exports and Israel's genocide, and highlighted the campaign to Shut down Ferra.

Police provoked rally-goers by arresting one of the protesters over a separate incident. The crowd expressed its solidarity and demanded she be released.

Solidarity was shown at the weekend rallies to the student encampments that, following the US example, are being organised at universities including Sydney, Melbourne, Monash, Queensland (UQ), Curtin, RMIT and Adelaide.

In some cities, Zionist groups have attacked the pro-Palestine encampments. Instead of condemning the violent thugs, the Prime Minister has condemned the student protesters.

Chloe DS reports that 500-600 people joined a protest at Monash Clayton on May 13, to oppose the attacks on the students. Zionists had also organised a memorial event for the Israeli Occupation Forces next to the Monash encampment. The university refused to cancel, or move, the event.

The protests — which included the students, staff, unionists and the general public — peacefully resisted the Zionists' provocations by forming a large circle around the encampment. They linked arms, singing chants such as “We shall not be moved”, “Free free Palestine”, and “Shame on Albanese, shame on Israel, shame on US”.

Nasser Mashni, President of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, spoke to the crowd about Israel's “ecocide”.

A heavy police presence — including mounted police — surrounded the building where the Zionist event was held and the university brought in extra security.

Student rallies were organised on May 9 at Curtin University in Boorloo/Perth and at UQ in Magan-djin/Brisbane.

Both actions targeted the universities’ connections with weapons companies — BAE Systems and Babcock International at Curtin Uni and Boeing at UQ.

The same day, National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) members at the Sydney University voted by a large margin for a boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) motion, the first successful BDS motion at any NTEU branch.

Hundreds of activists also converged in Naarm/Melbourne May 10-12 for the second APAN Palestine Solidarity Conference.