Sunday 24th August 2014
Once again, supporters of a free Palestine took to the streets to show their sympathy and solidarity with the people of Gaza and all of Palestine.
Several hundred of us gathered at Brighton Town Hall for a short rally. We heard two inspiring speeches. The first was from Dr Paul Oestreicher, the veteran international human rights campaigner and former Chair of Amnesty International – and long-time resident of Brighton & Hove. Paul insisted that Israel’s collective punishment of the people of Gaza over the past seven weeks had been carried out in the name of zionism but not in the name of Judaism. We then heard from Councillor Ben Duncan, one of the city councillors urging the council to discuss its economic links with the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Cllr Duncan explained why it is important for the city council to stand up for human rights and social justice as an expression of its core values.
In an important symbolic gesture to illustrate the importance of the campaign to make Brighton & Hove a City for Palestine, we marched from Brighton Town Hall to Hove Town Hall, with many people joining the march as we progressed through the town. At Hove Town Hall we heard two further speeches from local people bearing witness of the plight of the Palestinians. Professor Ben Rogaly from the University of Sussex told of his experience helping Palestinian families in the West Bank to rebuild their homes after they have been demolished by the Israeli army. And Therezia Cooper shared her stories of visiting Gaza in late 2013, motivating her to take action against an Israeli arms factory in the West Midlands that manufactures parts for the killer drones used by Israel in its assault on Gaza. We must continue to campaign for an arms embargo of Israel.
We will continue to campaign around our key demands:
END THE SIEGE OF GAZA!
STOP ARMING ISRAEL!
END THE OCCUPATION!
MAKE BRIGHTON & HOVE A CITY FOR PALESTINE!
Photos below courtesy of Kayla Louise
