Worldwide actions protest Israeli massacre in Gaza
Beirut
|
Dec. 31, 2008. The genocidal U.S.-backed Israeli
bombardment of the Palestinian people of the Gaza Strip has had at least one
unintended consequence. It has mobilized the anti-imperialist movement and
other anti-war forces around the world.
The Washington-Tel Aviv axis might not yet see this as an
obstacle to their war crimes. But it is a work in progress, coming as the
workers' movements are beginning to get in motion to fight the
consequences of the capitalist economic collapse. Even in vast parts of the
world where the winter holidays often drain the strength of a social movement,
people reacted quickly, angrily and in some places massively to oppose the new
Israeli assault.
Groups all over the world made strikingly similar calls
for action. There was complete solidarity with the Palestinians of Gaza, a
besieged and occupied population that had every right to resist. Most saw the
Israelis as the direct criminal, the local gendarme acting as an appendage of
world imperialism, especially out of Washington but also out of Brussels.
The immediate demands were to stop the Israeli attacks,
lift the blockade of Gaza and for the government involved to break relations
with or stop aiding the Zionist state. In some mostly Arab
countries—Egypt, for example—the protests also targeted the regime
for collaborating with the U.S. and Israel.
People began to hit the streets and squares in protest the
day of the first Israeli bombing, Dec. 27, and spread through the world in the
next few days. There are still some important gaps in our reports. However, we
will list time and place for those protests that we know of that are planned
for Jan. 1 or later with enough detail that people can use this information to
attend.
North Africa and Asia
Tens of thousands of Lebanese, many supporters of
Hezbollah, protested in the southern suburb of Dahiyeh,
Lebanon, on Dec. 29 in the pouring rain. In Damascus,
Syria, people held Hamas and Hezbollah and Palestinian flags
aloft at an anti-Israeli rally. Protesters burned Israeli and U.S. flags in
many Arab cities and demanded their governments react to Israeli
aggression.
More than 50,000 demonstrated in Egyptian
cities on Dec. 28 according to the AFP news agency. The biggest protest was in
the southern city of Asyut, led by the Islamist opposition. Some 15,000 also
attended a pro-Palestinian demonstration in the Jordanian capital Amman, and
there were rallies in many of Jordan's refugee camps that house thousands
of displaced Palestinians.
Sudan
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There were demonstrations throughout the West
Bank and in Haifa, Jaffa and other towns within the 1967 Israeli
borders, and also a protest of 1,000 anti-war people in Tel Aviv. There were
also anti-Israeli protests in Sudan and
Yemen, where tens of thousands marched in Sanaa.
In Iraq, there were demonstrations in
Baghdad, Mosul, Najaf and Kuffa. In Tehran, Iran, thousands of
Iranians rallied Dec. 29. In India, there were demonstrations
in Kolkata (Calcutta) and a number of other Indian cities. There was a protest
of more than 1,000 people in Jakarta, Indonesia on Dec. 30,
waving Palestinian and Indonesian flags, and in Tokyo, Japan
that same day at the Israeli Embassy.
In South Africa a protest of the Gaza
massacre is set for Jan. 2 at 2 p.m. at the U.S. Consulate in Killarney, in
Johannesburg.
Latin America
Caracus
|
In Argentina, a vigil of hundreds was
held the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires after a march there on Dec. 29, called
by different Argentine-Arab organizations to show solidarity with Palestine. In
Puerto Rico, the Socialist Front held a mobilization in
solidarity with the Palestinian people and to reject and condemn the crimes of
the Israeli state, gathering at the Federal building in San Juan.
Starting at 10 in the morning on Dec. 29, some 200
people protested in front of the Israeli Embassy in Caracas,
Venezuela in the second day of protests there. The Communist
Party of Venezuela and other social organizations were present. On Dec. 30
people protested before the Israeli Embassy in Mexico City,
D.F. There was also a protest in the Colón, Costa Rica on
Dec. 30 at the Israeli Embassy.
In addition to these popular actions, statements from
the governments of Cuba, Venezuela and
Bolivia condemned the Israeli killing of Palestinians.
Europe
In Belgium, there have been local protest
rallies in Ghent, Louvain, Brussels and Antwerp the days following the first
attack, with a national protest rally on Dec. 31 at 2 pm at the Place de la
Monnaie, and moving on to the Place des Martyrs. It is a joint effort of
solidarity committees, NGOs, the Workers Party of Belgium and Arab
organizations.
In Greece, where there have been youth
protests against a police killing since early December, more than 3,000
demonstrators waving Palestinian flags and chanting anti-Israeli and anti-U.S.
slogans marched on the Israeli Embassy in Athens. Greek left-wing parties and
Arab groups participated. Another demonstration of 1,000 took place in
Thessalonika.
In England, Scotland and Wales, as
reported by the Stop the War Committee, there have been demonstrations Dec. 28
in London of 700 people at the Israeli Embassy where protesters scuffled with
police. Some protesters were seen attempting to climb the gate towards the
embassy and also throwing red liquid - to symbolize blood - towards the gate.
Respect MP George Galloway and former Labor MP Tony Benn were among those who
addressed the crowd. Afterwards Galloway said: "We should treat Israel as
we treated South Africa during apartheid. They should be shunned."
Demonstrations are continuing in London at 2 - 4 p.m.
outside Israeli Embassy, and on Jan. 2, will move to the Egyptian Embassy 2 - 4
p.m. at 26 South Street, London, W1K 1DW, to call for Egypt to open the border
immediately. Also in Bristol opposite the Hippodrome at 3-4 p.m. Jan. 3, and
Portsmouth at 11 a.m. at Guildhall Square, and Hull, at 11 a.m. at Queen
Victoria Square.
Protests are set for Glasgow, Scotland,
on Jan. 3 at 12 noon outside Lloyds TSB St Vincent Street then assemble for
demonstration at Blytheswood Square 2 p.m. In Edinburgh, the same time at Foot
of the Mound, Princes Street.
There were actions also in Cardiff,
Wales, in Nottingham and Southampton.
In Lisbon, Portugal, various
organizations concerned about the massacre in Gaza, including mass union and
women’s and anti-war organizations met Dec. 30 and decided to call a
unified demonstration for Jan. 8, with the place and time to be announced
later.
Madrid
|
In the Spanish state, on Dec. 28, 1,000
demonstrated before Israeli Embassy in Madrid; also demonstrations reported
from Barcelona, Bilbao, Coruna and Seville. Further actions are planned in
Madrid on Jan. 3 at 12 noon at the Foreign Affairs Ministry at Plaza de Sta.
Cruz, and on Jan. 11 at noon at Puerta del Sol. If there is an Israeli land
invasion of Gaza, there will be a protest the next day at 8 p.m. at Puerta del
Sol. A march is also planned between the squares of Cibeles and Sol on Jan. 17.
In Madrid people have initiated a campaign of international solidarity with the
Palestinian people by hanging Palestinian flags and scarves from windows and
balconies.
In France, there were demonstrations
called by a broad coalition of forces Dec. 29 and 30 in Paris, where 1,300
marched, and in Angers, Annecy, Besançon, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille,
Montpellier, Nîmes, Quimper, Rennes, Roubaix, Rouen, St.Etienne,
St.Girons, Thionville and Toulouse.
Cologne
|
Denmark
|
In Italy, Red Link reports demonstrations
at least in Rome and Pisa on Dec. 28 and in Naples and Bologna on Dec. 29.
Soccorso Populare in Veneto reports a Dec. 28 protest of 100 in Padua, on Dec.
31 in Venice Mestre, on Jan. 2 in Treviso and on Jan. 3 in Vicenza at 2 p.m.
before the Central Train Station. There were also protests in Florence and
Genoa and in Cagliari in Sardinia.
A broad national demonstration has been called for Rome on
Jan. 3 at 4:30 p.m. at Piazza della Repubblica marching to Piazza
Barberini.
In Germany, on Dec. 28 some 50 people
gathered downtown spontaneously near the big cathedral in Cologne to demand an
immediate end to the massacre. The next day there were actions in Berlin and
Dusseldorf.
In Austria there were vigils and protests
in Vienna on Dec. 30, when 2,000 people marched through the downtown area. On
Jan. 3, at 3 p.m., there will be a demonstration: Stop the Massacre in Gaza! at
the Albertina, Albertinaplatz 1, 1010 Vienna. The Gaza Must Live group called
further protests for Jan. 2 at 2:30 p.m. at Karlsplatz and on Jan. 9 In
Switzerland there were protests in Basel and Geneva.
In Denmark, there were solidarity
demonstrations in Copenhagen and Aarhus on Dec. 28, with 1,500 people in
Copenhagen at the Israeli Embassy, in Odense on Dec. 29, and again in
Copenhagen (Town Hall Square) and other cities on Dec. 30.
New York City
|
Dearborn, Michigan
|
United States
From inside the U.S., International Action Center and
other activists have sent more detailed reports. In general, most demonstrators
at first have come from the Palestinian and Arab/Muslim community. The IAC has
helped with organizational and logistical support and outreach to other North
Americans in the labor, anti-war and anti-racist movements.
The largest demonstrations reported so far have been in
Dearborn, Mich., New York, San Francisco, and Anaheim, Calif., near Los
Angeles, all numbering in the thousands.
In Dearborn on Dec. 30, some 5,000 people
formed a human chain stretching for blocks in this city near Detroit that
probably is home to the largest Arab community in the U.S. Some of the many
youth stood on snow banks and waved Palestinian flags, of which there were
hundreds of all sizes, and chanted, "1,2,3,4--stop the killing, stop the
war; 5,6,7,8: Israel is a terrorist state." Passersby in cars—some
also draped with Palestinian flags--honked loudly and repeatedly for the over
hour-long action in cold windy weather.
A follow-up action, a candlelight vigil, will be held
Jan. 2 at 5 p.m. at the City Hall in Dearborn.
In New York, some 5,000 people gathered
in front of Rockefeller Center on 5th Avenue on a very busy shopping day Dec.
28. The demonstration was largely Palestinian, young and very militant,
chanting, "From the river to the sea: Palestine will be free." It
marched a mile to the Israeli Consulate. Majids in New Jersey towns sent five
busloads of people on 24-hours notice. There were other protests on Dec. 29 and
30. A major unified demonstration is planned for Jan. 3 to
start at Times Square at 2 p.m.
More than 1,500 people participated on Dec. 29 in
Anaheim, just south of Los Angeles. A coalition made up of Al
Awda, Muslim Student organizations and many others including the IAC, called
the action. The next event was on Dec. 30 in front of the Israeli Consulate in
Los Angeles. There was also a demonstration in San Diego.
On Dec. 30, several thousand Palestinians and supporters
held a loud and militant march through downtown San
Francisco.
In Washington, D.C., on Dec. 30, ANSWER
held a demonstration at the State Department.
In Boston, there was a march of 120
people on Dec. 28 from Park Street to Copley Square with strong Palestinian
participation, rush hour distributions on Dec. 29 and a demonstration Dec. 30
at the Israeli Consulate. The next action in solidarity with Palestine will be
on Saturday, at 12:00 noon at Copley Square, and will march through downtown
Boston past the Israeli Consulate in Park Square, Downtown Crossing, the
military recruiters on Tremont Street and back to Copley Square for a
concluding rally. It is being organized by a broad ad hoc coalition.
Some 80 mostly young people attended an emergency
demonstration in Baltimore on Dec. 30, at the War Memorial
Plaza. Over 100 people came out for a protest outside the Israeli consulate in
Philadelphia Dec. 28, called with less than 24-hours
notice.
The Palestinian community in Houston had
a huge demonstration Dec. 28 on all four corners of the busiest intersection in
town, maybe 750 people. From infants to elders, Palestinians came out with
their families, lots of students, and a number of elderly women in beautiful
Palestinian traditional clothing. In typical Texas style, pickup trucks
filled with Palestinian youth carrying giant Palestinian flags waving in the
wind drove up and down the streets honking and yelling. There were other
protests during the week with the next action on Jan. 2 at the Israeli
consulate.
In Atlanta, Emory Advocates for Justice
in Palestine and Athens for Justice in Palestine (UGA) with help from the IAC
pulled together an action in less than 18 hours for Dec. 28. More than 100
people came; mostly Palestinian, many college and high school age youth as well
as children brought by their parents, with good representation of the anti-war
movement.
With help from Hana al-Bayaty for the Middle East,
Paola Manduca for Europe, Berta Joubert-Ceci for Latin America and dozens of
militant activists around the United States, Europe, Africa, Asia and Japan,
John Catalinotto compiled this report
Join the ONLINE PETITION initiated by Ramsey Clark - sign on and send the message to President Bush, President Elect Obama, VP Cheney, VP Elect Biden, Secretary of State Rice, Secretary of State designate Clinton, Congressional leaders, the U.N. Secretary General, Security Council, and key member states, the Israeli President, Prime Minister and cabinet, and members of the world media appealing for Israel to Immediately Cease Its Murderous Bombing, Siege and Threatened Invasion of Palestinian Gaza
