15000 at March for Palestine 10 May In London

[Appollynon]

I was at this march in London on Saturday, and although there was a good turnout for the march, and thousands of people attended, there has been a total media blackout as far as I can tell. Considering the march took place spanning half of the road carriageway form Temple Tube Station to Trafalgar Square (a good 2mile, 40-50 min walk), the hundreds of police involved and the dispution to city traffic at the time, I had hoped that there may be some mention of the event in the british press, but as usual I'm left dissapointed.

The atmoshpere was really positive and there was no trouble at all. There were many cars passing by the marchers honking their horns and shouting messages of support, as well as a few taking banners and holding them out of their windows. There was a fantastic mix of people there, from many of the main religions such as Jews, Muslims, Arabs, Christians, Rastafarians, Hippies, and many differing nationalities too. The best thing about the march tho, was that there were a great many Londoners on the streets who had no idea why we were marching, and were asking questions of the many marchers. So there was great deal of people who found out about why the march was taking place, and what is going on in Palestine that you don't hear in the MSM and in some cases joining the march as it went to show solidarity with the cause.

There is a good report below from the www(dot)palestine campaign(dot)org website below and below that a further link to an Al Jazeera English video on youtube.

London protest calls for Free Palestine

Thousands marched through London, sixty years after the Palestinian Nakba, to demand an end to the siege on Gaza, an end to Israeli occupation, and for the right of return of refugees.

The demonstration, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, British Muslim Initiative and the Palestinian Forum in Britain, was supported by trade unions UNISON, Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), Unite the Union, Communication Workers Union, GMB, TSSA, RMT, Fire Brigades Union, and the National Union of Miners, who joined organisations such as the Association of Palestinian Community UK, Amos Trust, Friends of Al Aqsa UK, Palestinian Return Centre, War on Want, Jewish Socialist Group, Pax Christi, Stop the War Coalition, Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Britain Palestine Twinning Network, ICAHDUK, Friends of Lebanon, Federation of Student Islamic Societies, and Midlands Palestinian Community Association.

Dr Mustafa Barghouti, elected Palestinian Legislative Council member, told the rally of the situation of Apartheid existing in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories: "Israeli citizens make 30 times what Palestinians do, settlers take 48 times the water of Palestinians, Palestinians are denied entry to Jerusalem..." He said that the 'peace process' of Annapolis was an illusion: "Since then Israeli attacks have tripled and even more checkpoints have been set up." He stressed the importance of re-establishing Palestinian unity and accused western governments of hypocrisy, in undermining democracy in Palestine, but supporting an Apartheid state.

Speakers also included Richard Burden MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Palestine, who reminded people of the ongoing plight of the refugees from 1948, especially those in Gaza: "Gaza is dotted with masses of cesspits of raw sewage, as deadly as any bomb or missile." Like many speakers, he called for the lifting of the siege of Gaza and withdrawal from all the Occupied Territories: "The peace process cannot work while people are imprisoned in their own land." Both he and Caroline Lucas stressed Israel cannot continue to enjoy a privileged trading relationship with Europe while it persists in violating international law.

Referring to the founding of Israel, Tony Benn said: "Nothing that happened in the WWII can justify Israel's seizure of Palestinian land." He found room some optimism: "Wherever you go you find people understand increasingly what is happening to the Palestinian people. There will never be peace in the Middle East till the Palestinians are treated decently."

Manuel Hassassian, the General Delegate to the UK said: "Our problem is not a humanitarian problem, it is a political problem, which must have a political solution." He also said: "The right of return is a sacred right for the Palestinians. Jerusalem is our capital, and we will never compromise on Jerusalem."

Respect MP George Galloway reminded the crowd of Britain's historic responsibility for the tragedy inflicted on the Palestinian people, from the time of Balfour onwards, and remembered the "thousands upon thousands of martyrs" created over decades; he also demanded the release of Marwan Barghouti and other political prisoners, and declared: "If there is no justice in Palestine there can be no peace in Palestine, and peace in Palestine is the key to peace throughout the Middle East."

Video messages came from a PLC member from Gaza, Dr Jamal Al-Khoudary, and from Ismail Haniyeh.

View report on Al Jazeera English http://www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=jxh4HUDaoaU

I'll end this post with a chant that was ringing out that day which really hit a strong emotional chord with me. It reminded me of the state of being prisoners in our own minds and bodies to the programming and STS forces who seek to dominate and feed upon us in our daily lives, as well as the more obvious meaning of solidarity with Palestianians behind it.

"In our thousands, in our millions, we are all Palestinians".

 

[sbeaudry]

I'll end this post with a chant that was ringing out that day which really hit a strong emotional chord with me. It reminded me of the state of being prisoners in our own minds and bodies to the programming and STS forces who seek to dominate and feed upon us in our daily lives, as well as the more obvious meaning of solidarity with Palestianians behind it.

"In our thousands, in our millions, we are all Palestinians".

I know this is a few years after your post, but I just watched an interview of Galloway, much respect, and did a search to do some more reading and wound up here. Your comment caught me off guard but after rereading it I can really appreciate that sense of duality here. It struck a chord with me. Thank you for sharing it. Of course, at this time the Palestinian plight is still ongoing. sadly, I know people who seem to care about people and the little guy but that still don't give a darn about Palestinians or Muslims for one vectored reason or another. In some sense, at least from my view, until we recognize our similarities and make the little choices out of respect for one another, and ourselves, and a sense of moral righteousness and/or responsibility we'll continue to live in a wicked world with an overflowing cup of sorrow and injustice.

 

[Michael B-C]

sbeaudry. I concur totally with your post (the time gap is immaterial). The only slight amendment I would suggest re Apollyon’s original rallying cry might be:

"In our thousands, in our millions, we should be – could be – will be - Palestinians".

Feels more authentic, less wishful thinking, more reflective of the process of spread of globalised tyranny. No matter where you are, they are coming for you. This is a species wide issue. They want your land. They want your resources. They want what is left of you. They want your controlled, managed, compliant, supplicant – where necessary extinguished - inert accession to the daily intrusion upon your free will, your dignity of existence, your right to be within the environment freely offered by the earth upon which we treed. They want you slaves again. They want the last space in your mind that is truly yours. We must resist. We must refuse them the right. We are the free willed peoples of this great ‘O’ , if we so choose. And the time is now, here, to start activating this public choice. I travel through Gatwick airport each week and I have watched the petty fascist and barbed wire world prep, stretch and now extend its collective hand of disdain. The creature slouching forth is almost fully formed and ready. The full body scanner, DNA/information annulling machines sprang up this side of the Atlantic this week like techno pustules out of the blue. No warning. No apparent need, but there they now are – against the wall of independent scientific research that shows their lethal purpose. Another brick in the wall. The noose is being tightened in preparation for the next great signifier – for something wicked this way comes. We are all becoming Palestinians indeed. Welcome to the year of the comet!