European countries protest: 'Stop Israeli crimes on Gaza'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
1 Jan 2024 10:32
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Europeans are taking to the streets in solidarity with Palestine and against pro-Israeli countries.

Demonstrators march during a pro-Palestinian protest in Marseille, southern France, Saturday, December 9, 2023. (AP)

Mass demonstrations in solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip swept through the capitals of several European countries on Monday morning and Sunday evening, demanding an immediate halt to the brutal Zionist aggression.

The protesters called for the prosecution of those responsible for the ongoing crimes of genocide and massacres that have persisted for 86 days, resulting in nearly 22,000 martyrs and tens of thousands wounded.

In cities like Dublin in Ireland, Marseille in France, Manchester in England, and various Turkish cities, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets, proudly raised Palestinian flags and chanted slogans condemning the aggression.

The participants passionately called for an end to bombing and sustained violence against the civilian population in Gaza. Their demands included the urgent opening of Gaza crossings and facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid, encompassing food, medicine, potable water, and essential supplies for the distressed population in the Strip.

💢تظاهرة حاشدة في مدينة مرسيليا الفرنسية؛ إسناداً لغزة وتنديداً بمجازر الاحتلال. pic.twitter.com/CUtEgOgTIh
— المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام (@PalinfoAr) December 31, 2023

End to double standards

These initiatives are part of a global campaign initiated by civil society organizations and human rights activists, aiming to exert pressure on the international community for urgent intervention to halt the massacres in Gaza. The goal is to redefine New Year's Eve as an occasion for renewed solidarity with Gaza, urging an end to the ongoing war and aggression.

The campaign strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli bombings targeting innocent civilians and advocated for the trying of occupation officials in the International Criminal Court for their participation in war crimes.

The protesters also called for an end to double standards in addressing humanitarian crises, emphasizing the equal value of civilian lives in Gaza to those anywhere else in the world. The campaign issued a global call for the international community to support the victims, ensure the protection of human rights, and work towards finding a just political solution to the Palestinian issue.

5,000 solidarity events with Gaza in 400 European cities

Majed al-Zeer, CEO of the European-Palestinian Council for Political Relations, disclosed that the European popular movement in solidarity with Gaza against the ongoing aggression has been meticulously documented, counting over 5,000 demonstrations and events held in more than 400 European cities.

Irish Member of the European Parliament Mick Wallace emphasized the substantial support of the European people for the Palestinian cause, in stark contrast to their governments' backing of "Israel". Wallace highlighted that despite the European Parliament's General Assembly convening four times in Strasbourg, France, since the onset of the Gaza genocide, no decisions regarding Gaza were made during those meetings.

Israel is not a Democracy. A Democratic State would not engage in Ethnic Cleansing. A Democratic State would not commit Genocide... https://t.co/mFAIBIfWDP
— Mick Wallace (@wallacemick) December 31, 2023

Wallace pointed out the absence of a "sufficient resolution" from the European Parliament regarding the "US-NATO proxy war in Ukraine." Criticizing the Parliament's stance, he said, "We did not witness a call for a ceasefire in Ukraine or Gaza because it goes against the interests of the American empire."

Meanwhile, the death toll from the ongoing Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip reached 21,822 martyrs, and the number of wounded reached 56,451 on the 86th day of the war, according to the Ministry of Health.