Israel’s offensive on Rafah sparks ‘emergency rally’
PROTESTERS GATHER OUTSIDE COUNCIL HOUSE
DOZENS gathered outside Nottingham Council House for an emergency protest against Israel’s bombing of Rafah, in the Gaza Strip.
About 60 people carrying banners, placards and flags gathered around a central speaker, at 5.30pm on Tuesday.
It was arranged after Israel started its offensive into Gaza’s southernmost city on Monday. A poster for the protest said: “Hands off Rafah. End to genocide. Emergency rally.”
The rally started a few minutes late as the organiser, a man in a red hat, addressed the increasing numbers to say he was waiting for speakers to arrive. Then, one by one, a number of people took their turn speaking over a megaphone at the front of the crowd.
One was a young woman called Leila, who said: “I stand here today filled with heartbreak, rage and faith in my people.
“My friends have been arrested, released and rearrested simply for being students. Recently I discovered one of my friends is still alive. And the feeling I have is both of happiness and dread. I fear that one of these days I might lose him.”
“Take action now to liberate us all. If Palestinians don’t get their freedom now there will be no more Palestine to fight for. Be strong. Do not let yourself lose faith or focus or let people scare you away.
“We need to be taking action so we can see tangible change. I’m not going to be chanting ‘free Palestine’ with no end goal any more. We want liberation, we want justice and we want land back.”
As she finished her speech, she chanted “free Palestine” and the crowd took up the chant.
Others also spoke. Some passersby turned their heads as they walked past, while others took photos and a number stopped to listen.
At one point a woman interrupted. She was met with hostile shouts and ushered away.
Then another man spoke, saying: “This war has caused a conflict in the whole Muslim world, and anyone who stand for justice, peace and fairness can see that this is something is completely wrong.
“My heart bleeds to see the western world saying absolutely nothing to condemn this or if they are, its just mere words - no sanctions. In our thousands, in our millions, we are all Palestinians.”
On Monday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was “deeply concerned” about the potential humanitarian cost of an offensive around Rafah, which has become a refuge for Palestinians forced out of other areas in the war-ravaged territory. Mr Sunak urged Israel and Hamas to “continue talking, negotiating, getting around the table”.
The UK has urged both sides in the Israel-hamas conflict to focus on negotiations to end the bloodshed. The United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the Israeli authorities had denied it access to the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.