Thousands of people took to the streets across Australia in solidarity with Gaza, and all Palestinians, as Israel stoked a regional war in the Middle East.
Hezbollah’s military chief Fuad Shukr was killed on July 31 in Beirut, Lebanon, and, shortly afterwards, Hamas negotiator Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, in Iran.
Israel said Shukr’s death was in response to a Hezbollah air strike in the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Hezbollah denied responsibility. Israel’s air strike on Haret Hreik killed three and injured 74 others.
While Israel did not claim responsibility for Haniyeh’s death, reports suggest the US was also involved as it had a US$5 million bounty on his head.
Israel’s genocide is about to enter its tenth month and protesters around Australia continue to take to the streets — now for the 43rd week.
Because Israel has the political and military backing of the United States, and other Western countries, it is in no rush to negotiate.
The Pentagon has now sent the USS Abraham Lincoln, which can carry 40 fighter jets, to the Middle East in preparation for a possible regional war. The US said on August 3 it was sending more ballistic missile defence-capable cruisers and destroyers, as well as an additional fighter jet squadron.
Many Western countries, including Australia, have urged their citizens to flee Lebanon but, without commercial flights and extra assistance, this is proving impossible. The Lebanese diaspora said if Labor wanted to help, it could send in special airplanes to airlift stranded people out, as it did for duel Israeli citizens last October.
melb_ja_1.jpg
Figures released by the Health Ministry in Gaza on August 1 show that at least 39,583 Palestinians have been killed and 91,398 wounded since last October.
Pro-Palestine activists continue to take to the streets to show their support for a political solution. The protests have been going for 43 weeks.
More Lebanese flags were evident at the Palestine Action Group's Gadigal Country/Sydney protest on August 4.
Palestinian elder Rafika Mahommad, a 78-year-old member of the Palestine resistance, told the crowd she had never witnessed a genocide like this in her lifetime. “This isn’t a war; this is a al'iibadat aljamaeia (genocide)”.
She said not only does the assassination of Haniyah “mean something” the 40,000 Palestinians who have been killed “mean something”, adding that the martyrs have not died in vain. “Palestine will be liberated”, she said, adding “Our resistance will not dwindle”.
16kchildren4-8-24bypeterboyle.jpg
NSW Greens Senator David Shoebridge told the rally that Labor has been “caught out” approving export permits to companies supplying parts for the F35 fighter jets being used by Israel to bomb Palestine.
He said Australian/US company Drone Shield had been found to be supplying DroneGun Mk 4 (anti-drone guns) to Israel — further evidence that Labor is lying about Australian military support for Israel in defiance of obligations under international law.
An emergency protest called by the Palestine Action Group two days earlier, August 2, to protest the killing of Haniyeh, drew around 70 people.
Merri-bek Socialist Alliance councillor Sue Bolton told an emergency rally in Naarm/Melbourne, that only Israel and the United States can get away with such “gangster” assassinations. She said Israel wants a never-ending war, which is why the key Gazan negotiator — for a permanent ceasefire — was taken out.
Alex Bainbridge reports that Brisbane Justice for Palestine supported the Palestinian community and Falesteen Inc in a Lantern Parade on August 3 in Magan-djin/Brisbane.
The parade was part of the Multicultural Australia Luminous festival. Participants sang traditional songs, performed Dabkeh and carried watermelon themed lanterns along with a giant camel.
Justice for Palestine is already planning a major rally for October 13, to mark one year of protesting the genocide. Preparations will be discussed at a public meeting on August 7. The next major Palestine rally in Magan-djin/Brisbane will be on August 11.
In Naarm/Melbourne, a lively crowd, drumming and chanting, heard from Australia Palestine Advocacy Network President Nasser Mashni, Lebanese Australian activist Tahina and Palestinian engineer Bassil el-Ghattis addressed the protest on August 4.
Chloe DS reports that there were contingents from the Philippines diaspora, who held banners “From Palestine to the Philippines, End the US war machine!”, unionists marched behind a banner “Intifada is union business” and “Teachers and school staff for Palestine” and healthcare workers had a banner saying “Fund Healthcare not warfare” and “Stop bombing hospitals” from the healthcare workers contingent.
melb_ja_2.jpg
Some marched from the Palestine rally to show their support to the refugee encampment in the Docklands.
A rally to mark Palestinian Prisoners Day and solidarity with Gaza, the previous day in Naarm, demanded an end to “apartheid terror”.
Chloe DS reports that Jayda Abu Musa, a student from Gaza, told the crowd: “Today we shine a light on more than 9600 prisoners languishing in Israeli cages, among them women, children who endure unimaginable cruelty, torture, sexual abuse and dehumanization”.
Jayda talked about her brother who was abducted by the Israeli Defense Forces from Al Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, where he had been “dedicating his life to saving others”.
Massni, from APAN, spoke about the “2.3 million hostages” in the “concentration camp of Gaza”. “Every one of them should be free”, he said.
A similar rally for Palestinian prisoners was organised in Punchbowl in Sydney’s West.
Susan Price reports that 80 people rallied at Kombumerri Country/Surfers Paradise on August 3.
Isaac Nellist reports that Students at the University of Sydney in Gadigal Country organised an “unauthorised stalls day” on August 1 to protest managements new draconian rules regarding campus activism, which came after a successful encampment force the university to agree to disclose its ties to Israel weapons companies.
polioandbombs4-8-24bypeterboyle.jpg
gadigalmarch4-8-24bypeterboyle.jpg
isaacnellist4-8-24bypeterboyle.jpg
