Since the start of the Gaza massacre on Saturday, activists and citizens have poured into the streets of cities across the world to voice their anger at the Israeli occupation and to call for action to halt the Israeli crimes. More demonstrations are planned for the coming days, including actions across the United States on Tuesday 30 December, and a Europe-wide day of action and protest on Saturday 3 January.
Middle East
Egypt
Numerous demonstrations have taken place in Cairo calling for the Rafah crossing to be opened and for the people of Gaza to continue their steadfastness. www.dailystaregypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=18758
Jordan
A demonstration was held in Amman on December 27. MPs burned the Israeli flag inside parliament building.
Other demonstrations were held in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and across the Middle East (https://www.almanar.com.lb/NewsSite/NewsDetails.aspx?id=68457&language=en;video:www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVjgHUelRaw).
In Palestine â48, hundreds of Palestinian students at Haifa University demonstrated, and others took to the streets in Tel Aviv.
Europe
England, Scotland and Wales
Thousands of people turned out onto the streets of London on Monday, to demonstrate outside the Israeli embassy in London, to call for an end to the killing and an end to the siege of the people of Gaza.
In Manchester, demonstrator gathered chanting â1-2-3-4 Occupation no more, 5-6-7-8 We don’t want your Zionist stateâ. Video at https://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9NuAgMLCces.
More demonstrations are planned over the coming days, culminating with the European of action on Saturday 3 January. Actions in England are planned for London, Bristol, Nottingham, Southampton, Portsmouth and Hull.
In Scotland, a vigil took place in Glasgow on Sunday, organised by Pauline McNeill MSP Convenor of the Cross Party Group on Palestine in the Scottish Parliament, who recently returned from a visit to Gaza.
Demonstrators are mobilising in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. Demonstrations are planned, and there is an emergency meeting on Tuesday 30 December, and the formation of the Scottish Emergency Co-ordinating Committee on Gaza, including Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Scotland, the Scottish Islamic Foundation, Glasgow Campaign for Palestinian Human Rights and Pauline McNeil MSP, Convenor Scottish Parliament Cross Party Group on Palestine. In Dundee on Tuesday, solidarity activists will be lighting 300 candles for a vigil in memory of people who have lost their life this weekend and to show support for the people of Palestine. More information on Scottish protests available from www.scottishpsc.org.uk.
In Wales, there will be a demonstration in Cardiff. Updated information is available from Palestine Solidarity Campaign, www.palestinecampaign.org.
France
France is seeing a huge mobilization in dozens of towns and cities across the country. A large number of French civil society organisations and solidarity movements have come together to call for sanctions against Israel and the immediate suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
Sunday 28 December: Lille; Grenoble
Monday 29 December: Angers; Apt; Avignon; Besançon; Douai; Le Mans; Lyon; Marseille; Montauban; Montpellier; Nancy; Niort; Paris; Perpignan; Roubaix; Rouen; St Nazaire; Thionville; Toulouse
Tuesday 30 December: Charente; Annecy; Bordeaux; Brest; Caen; Carhaix; Grenoble; Nantes; Carrefour; Paris; Rennes; Pau; Romans; St-Girons; St-Lô; St Nazaire; Strasbourg; Tours; Quimper; Villeneuve dâAscq
Saturday 3 January: Paris
Germany
On 29 December a demonstration in Berlin saw some 2000 people rally against the Israeli massacre in Gaza.
Spain
Demonstrations have been held all over Spain, including Seville, Bilbao, Valencia, Madrid, Iruña, Mallorca, Málaga, Cantabria, Barcelona, Asturias.
Switzerland
On 29 December in Geneva solidarity organizations have organized a protest march that closed with a vigil commemorating the dead in Gaza.
Italy
A number of protests have been organized in most major cities in Italy. People went to the streets in Rome, Pisa, Firenze, Cagliari, Bolzano, Vicenza and Bologna. Further demonstrations are planned for Saturday 3 January. The protestors call for the immediate suspension of all diplomatic, economic and military agreements between Israel and Italy.
Belgium
Three protests have been organized in Brussels: one on 29 December in front of the Egyptian embassy, one on 30 December in front of the Israeli embassy and one on 31 December in the Place des Martyrs.
Norway
Saturday, hundreds of demonstrators rallied in Oslo in front of the Norwegian Parliament as soon as the news spread about the Occupations massacres. The demonstration was organized by the Palestinian community and solidarity activists. Sunday hundreds demonstrated outside the Israeli embassy in Oslo. The Socialist Youth League (SU), the youth branch of one of the governmental parties, has called for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador and a freeze of all diplomatic ties to the Occupation. The call for BDS is gaining strength in both organizations, trade unions and the activist community. New demonstrations are planned for Monday in Oslo, Tromsø, Stavanger and Bergen.
In Kristiansand on Tuesday demonstrators called together by the Palestine Committee, Socialist Youth, Red and others, activists carried coffins and candles through the streets of the city.
(VIDEO: www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/ostlandssendingen/1.6379254 – https://www.tv2nyhetene.no/innenriks/article2488229.ece)
Also in Bergen and Tromsø several hundred people demonstrated yesterday, including members of Parliament. There have also been demonstrations in Lillehammer, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Sandnes and Bodø.
The Socialist Left Party, member of the coalition government, has called for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Norway. Over 7000 Norwegians have so far supported this call on Facebook: www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=42102478269
Asia
India
Calling Israel’s attacks on Gaza strip the “blackest face of state terror”, the CPI(M)on Tuesday asked the UPA government to sever its ties with Tel Aviv. Leading a protest march against the attacks, CPI (M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat said, “maintaining relations with a government that believes in state terror is against Indian interests in the international arena.” She criticised the failure of the government to condemn the attacks. Karat also attacked the UN and said, “the UN looks like an institution of the US which works on its directions. If it has to maintain its credibility, than it has to immediately intervene and compel Israel to stop these gruesome attacks.”
Indonesia
Rallies were held in Jakarta, Serang (Banten province), Gresik (East Java) and Banda Aceh (Aceh), to coincide with the Islamic New Year holiday Monday. In Jakarta, a group of students staged a rally at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle. In Serang, about 200 students and members of Muslim organizations rallied at Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University.
In Gresik, Muslim students and members of Indonesian Muslim Students Action Front (KAMMI) staged their demonstration on the town’s main street, collecting donations for Palestine from passers-by. In Banda Aceh, dozens of KAMMI activists also staged rally at Baiturrahman grand mosque and then moved to the local office of the European Union. The group called on the government to adopt a tough stance against Israel and demanded the United Nations impose sanctions on Israel.
Malaysia
Peace Malaysia has issued a statement exhorting âthe Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to stand in unity with our Palestinian brethren against the state sponsored acts of terrorism intended to inflict irreparable damage to the meagre existence of a people robbed of their land by Israel and its allies.â It is collecting donations of money and humanitarian aid for Gaza.
Africa
South Africa
In South Africa, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Fatima Hajaig on Monday summoned the Israeli occupationâs ambassador, Mr Dov Segev-Steinberg to express the grave concern of the SA Government at the brutal assault by Israeli military forces on the Palestinian people in Gaza. In a statement, the deputy minister condemned the attack and called for the opening of Gazaâs borders:
âThe Deputy Minister emphasised to the Ambassador that the large-scale loss of life and injuries to the inhabitants of Gaza, including women and children, as well as the destruction of physical infrastructure in the territory, such as mosques, schools and universities, is totally unacceptable and she called upon Israel to stop this aggression immediately.
âThe Deputy Minister informed Ambassador Segev-Steinberg that the SA Government found the continued of siege of Gaza unacceptable as it does not allow humanitarian relief supplies such as medicines, food, water and medical supplies to reach the desperate people of Gaza.
âThe SA Government called on the Israeli government to stop the military onslaught in Gaza and to immediately and unconditionally withdraw its forces currently amassing on the border.â
Americas
Argentina
FEARAB, Aarsopal (Asociación Argentina De Solidaridad Con Palestina) and MOPASSOL have organised a demonstration outside the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires on 29 December. The protestors remained in front of the embassy overnight in protest at the crimes of the Occupation. Their vigil will end on 30 December with another rally and a declaration of condemnation against the genocide committed against the Palestinian people by the Israeli occupation.
Brazil
A protest was organized on 29 December in Sao Paolo. MOPAT has issued a statement calling on Brazil to withdraw their ambassador from Tel Aviv, and for president Lula to suspend his visit to Israel while maintaining his schedule for a visit to Ramallah. They also called on the National Congress not to ratify the Mercosur-Israel Free Trade Agreement.
Chile
The Palestinian federation in Chile has issued a statement calling on the Chilean government to reconsider its diplomatic ties with Israel in front of these further crimes against humanity.
Canada
At least 1000 people joined an emergency protest organized by the Coalition against Israeli apartheid and the Palestine House and poured into Toronto streets on Sunday to show their outrage at the Israeli attacks on the people of Gaza. Protesters rallied in front of the Israeli consulate for over an hour before spilling on to the street and spontaneously marching down University Avenue to the U.S Consulate. To support the street protests, several sectors within Canadian society are renewing their call and intensifying their efforts for a comprehensive campaign of boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) against Israel and its apartheid practices.
In Quebec, hundreds gathered in downtown Montreal on Sunday to demonstrate. Additional protests and actions in solidarity with Gaza are being organised in Montreal over the next few days. Photos by Sabrien Amrov, www.tadamon.ca.
United States
Over a thousand New Yorkers marched through Manhattan on Monday in a second day of protest, chanting and carrying signs and Palestinian flags. Marchers carried two stretchers covered in black shrouds and flags, similar to those used in Palestinian funeral processions. Fliers distributed to passersby provided information on Israel’s attacks and called for support for the growing international campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel. Over the last year, Adalah-NY has carried out a successful boycott campaign against Israeli diamond mogul, settlement-builder and New York real estate developer Lev Leviev. For photos see /www.adalahny.org. The march culminated with loud chanting at the Israeli Consulate at 8:30 PM. On Sunday afternoon, over two thousand marched through Manhattan. More actions are planned.
The US Campaign to End the Occupation has launched an action alert and compiles a list of US actions at: https://www.endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=1773. The ANSWER Coalition, Muslim American Freedom Society, Free Palestine Alliance, National Council of Arab Americans, and Al-Awda the International Palestine Right to Return Coalition, are calling for Tuesday, December 30 to be a National Day of Action to show solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza and to demand an immediate end to the attacks carried out by the Israeli military against the people of Gaza.
Both groups highlight the United States role as the Israeli occupationâs ally and military partner:
âIn short, Israelâs lethal attack today on the Gaza Strip could not have happened without the active military and political support of the United States. Therefore, we need to take action to protest this attack and demand an immediate cease-fire.â
Demonstrations have been organised in San Francisco, New York City, Fort Lauderdale, Chicago, Boston and Seattle over the coming days. In Southern California, protestors will gather at the Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles starting at 4.30pm and at the Federal Building in San Diego starting at 4.00pm. See www.al-awda.org for more details. In Washington, D.C., there will be a demonstration at the State Department at 4:30 pm. See below for an initial list of demonstrations across the US.