Pro-Palestine protest to call for ceasefire ‘a world away’ as Gaza bloodshed continues
Territorians have rallied outside parliament in solidarity with those suffering in conflict. See why Territorians are now calling for peace.
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Territory leaders are calling for peace after an area barely bigger than the City of Darwin has been bombarded with 12,000 tonnes of explosives over just 20 days.
Hundreds of Territorians gathered outside the parliament Friday to join international calls for a ceasefire 20 days into the Gaza conflict.
The protest brought together leaders from the United Muslims of the Northern Territory, Uniting Church, Amnesty International, Jews Against the Occupation, and Territorians for Palestine.
Israel has carried out relentless strikes on Gaza since Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on October 7, killing 1400 people.
Gaza media has reported that Israel has dropped an estimated 12,000 tones of explosives on the 360 sqkm of the Gaza Strip — an areas about three times the size of the City of Darwin.
More than 7000 Palestinians are believed to be dead, 1.4m displaced and 45 per cent of Gaza homes have been destroyed, according to the United Nations.
United Muslims of the NT spokesman Hamza Razi said while the violence was “a world away” it was still being keenly felt in the Northern Territory.
“We urge Territorians to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza, to condemn Israel’s policy and its ongoing and illegal ‘collective punishment’ of the innocent Palestinian civilian population,” Mr Razi said.
Territorians for Palestine convener Karen Edyvane said she held grave fears for the Palestinian people, saying statements by the Netanyahu Government echoed a “genocidal rhetoric”.
“The humanitarian tragedy in Gaza that the world is currently witnessing is only possible because we in Australia and the West have, for decades, remained silent and complicit,” Dr Edyvane said.
“We have failed to condemn the illegal occupation, the illegal blockade and the racist and recognised ‘apartheid policies’ of the current extreme, far-right government of Israel.”
Speakers called for an immediate ceasefire, safe access for international humanitarian and medical aid, the adoption of international rules of engagement for conflict or war.
It also called for diplomatic efforts to stop a planned Israeli ground invasion, UN intervention to protect civilians and for the “root causes” of the conflict.
It comes a week after pro-Palestine protesters blockaded access to Pine Gap Joint Defence Facility, a secretive military base in Central Australia.
A 35-year-old woman was arrested and charged with failing to cease to loiter and obstructing a public road.
PROTEST IN PICTURES
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