Pro-Palestine rallies march on amid fragile ceasefire
Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters will continue to march as momentum slowly builds for a permanent ceasefire, two years after Israel launched a military offensive on Gaza.
Despite the NSW Court of Appeal banning a rally at the Sydney Opera House, the Palestine Action Group is calling on its supporters to keep up political pressure on the Australian government to impose sanctions on Israel.
Protesters will march from Hyde Park’s weekly town center gathering point and proceed down George Street towards Belmore Park via an alternative route agreed with police on Sunday.
A similar rally will be held in Perth.
The demonstrations took place as a group of Australian activists who were detained in Israel for trying to bring aid to Gaza due to the naval blockade returned home.
Juliet Lamont, Hamish Paterson and Abubakir Rafiq have arrived in Sydney after more than a month at sea with the Global Sumud Fleet.
They expressed their desire to attend Sunday’s demonstration.
Medical doctor Bianca Webb-Pullman landed in Melbourne wearing her gray prison tracksuit and ran into the arms of her family.
Activists described being tortured, kicked, punched and spat on by Israeli prison guards while detained at Ketziot prison in the Negev desert, while being denied access to clean drinking water, medicine and a lawyer.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said the government was increasing welfare and mistreatment of Israel, which denies allegations of abuse.
“The Australian government has warned against attempts to breach the naval blockade due to security risks to Australians,” he told a Senate estimates hearing.
The Australian contingent said they were among the last group of foreign nationals to be released and deported to Jordan.
The Israeli government on Friday approved a US-brokered ceasefire, paving the way for Palestinian militant group Hamas to halt its military offensive on Gaza.
“This ceasefire, if implemented, could bring a desperately needed end to the killings, but it is not peace,” Rateb Jneid, president of the Federation of Islamic Councils of Australia, said on Saturday. he said.
“True peace cannot come without justice. The world should not confuse silence with peace, rubble with solution.
“Gaza’s wounds will not be healed by denial or diplomatic convenience.”
The Palestinian solidarity movement will also continue its public campaign in Perth following the ceasefire.
Friends of Palestine WA said there would be a planned rally on Sunday as part of ongoing global mobilizations to demand justice and freedom.
The statement said, “We do not trust Israel and we do not trust Donald Trump either.”
“Previous ceasefires were broken by Israel and the genocide continued unabated.”
Humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières has warned that Gaza residents are facing major medical, psychological and material needs as they struggle to survive among the ruins of what was once their home.
“This ceasefire must be accompanied by an immediate, major and sustained increase in aid to and along the Strip,” the statement said.
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