Massive London March for Palestine Demands Immediate Action
London went pink on Saturday as hundreds of thousands took to the streets for the Palestine protest. This demonstration was organized by the Palestine Coalition, which demanded the government to act now to end the violence in Palestine and to stop providing arms to Israel.
The march had many passionate speakers who addressed the audience, and most of them repeated the call for justice and peace. Of them was Jeremy Corbyn, the recently re-elected MP who cultivated the desperateness for political intervention and advocacy for Palestinian rights. Outspoken activist Mikaela Loach brought to the conference’s attention the violations of the human rights of Palestinians and the need for foreign intervention in the area.
British Palestinian surgeon Dr. Ghassan Abu Sitta gave a live testimony of the plight of hospitals in Gaza and urged the intervention to cease and spare Palestinians’ lives. Entrepreneur and activist Leanne Mohammad encouraged the spectators with words of unity and sustained activist work, and the female Indigenous performer raised awareness about Indigenous issues and Indigenous people’s roles in Canada. Prominent writer Kamila Shamsie also gave a speech and said solidarity with the global community and people’s unity is crucial.
A few issues have arisen regarding recent elections and the appointment of David Lammy as the Foreign Secretary. Is he going to immediately cease and refuse all UK arms exports to Israel and cancel existing export licenses? Also, problems remain regarding whether he will deliver on his promise to quickly replenish the UK’s contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Regarding support for the UK interceding on behalf of Israel at the International Court of Justice, this position requires clarification and a restatement of UK support for the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.
These questions emphasize the imperative necessity for the newly appointed Foreign Secretary to focus and take specific action to write the letter as expressed by the March for Justice and the call for justice and human rights.
Thus, the Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB) used the march to recognize the recent election results from a Palestinian point of view. The PFB thanked the Palestinian candidates who participated, especially Leanne Mohammad, Sameh Habeeb, Kamal Hawash and others, for their bravery and endeavor. It was a breakthrough to have them actively involved in representing and advocating for the Palestinian side.
In addition, the characteristics of the Gaza people, such as being strong and standing firm for their principles, persist in the political arena; thus, the fight for justice and human rights is still ongoing.
The chairman of the PFB, Zaher Birawi, said: “Today’s march is a clear indication of the support we as people of the UK have for Palestine. This is a call for the government to pay attention to its citizen’s cries and do something to stop the escalation of violence and arming of Israel. The time for action is now.
Thus, the demonstration addressed the present problems to be tackled with governmental intervention and emphasized the need for further awareness and support. The speakers’ voices and the marchers’ presence sent a clear message: The Palestinian issue is not resolved, and therefore, this fight has to go on, and the people of the world need to become more actively involved.
