Protesters have gathered outside Federal Parliament to demand Australia sanction Israel for its actions in Gaza and Lebanon, a day after commemorations were held a year on from the Hamas terrorist attack on southern Israel.
Around 150 people gathered on Federation Mall in front of Parliament House in Canberra, some of them travelling from interstate, to express solidarity with the Lebanese and Palestinian people.
Several speakers addressed the crowd including local Indigenous leaders, Senators, activists and academics demanding an end to the “genocide, injustice, oppression and occupation”.
Social worker Assala Sayara from the Palestinian advocacy group Haweyate led the rally and called on Australian politicians to do more for the Palestinian people.
Assala Sayara is from the Palestinian advocacy group Haweyate. (ABC News: Monte Bovill)
“We come with anger, we come with rage, we come with frustration at the failure of this government,” Ms Sayara said.
“The government that selectively chooses to fund millions and millions of weapons into this genocide.
“Our rage is beyond the 7th of October, because every day is a catastrophe in Palestine, every hour is a catastrophe, every second is a catastrophe, every heartbeat is a catastrophe.”
Around 1,200 people in Israel were killed in the October 7 attack and 251 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.
The Gazan Health Ministry reports more than 41,000 Palestinians have since been killed during the Israeli offensive that followed.
Yesterday, protesters rallied outside Parliament and all over Australia to mark the anniversary of the Hamas attacks in southern Israel and to condemn what they said is rising anti-Semitism in Australia.
The rally was attended by people hailing from different parts of the ACT and NSW. (ABC News: Monte Bovill)
‘Makes me filled with rage’, activist says
Greens Senator David Shoebridge attended the rally, and called on the federal government to end “its complicity in the violence”.
“I want to thank all of you for coming out now more than a year on, after we’ve seen countless images of violence and destruction and death to the people in the region of Israel and Gaza, Lebanon,” the senator said.
“What I think is driving millions and millions of Australians to demand our government cease its complicity in the violence in the Middle East is this connection, this people to people connection we see around the world.”
Ngambri Ngunnawal woman Leah House speaks at pro-Palestine rally on the lawns of Parliament House. (ABC News: Monte Bovill)
Ngambri, Ngunnawal and Wiradjuri woman Leah House told the rally Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people stand with the Palestinians.
“230 years plus into a colonisation here we find common ground with Palestinians, not only for our shared trauma but importantly for our shared resistance,” Ms House said.
“Australia’s complicity and support for another settler colony should not be at all surprising.”
Around 150 people gathered on Federation Mall in front of Parliament House in Canberra (ABC News: Monte Bovill)
Activist Rawda Alshroof said the ongoing conflict was taking a “huge toll” on the Palestinian community.
“It’s just appalling that our government is encouraging this by maintaining their diplomatic ties with the state of Israel,” she said.
“It makes me filled with rage the fact that Arab lives are deemed less important than those of Israelis.”
Dr Helen McCue travelled from the New South Wales southern highlands to attend the rally. (ABC News: Monte Bovill)
Dr Helen McCue said Australia “should be holding a much stronger position” and travelled from the New South Wales southern highlands to attend the rally.
“We believe Australia should be standing up,” she said.
“I worked in the Middle East, I worked with Palestinian refugees and I have worked in Palestine. I have friends in Palestine and I have friends in Lebanon and they are telling me how terrified they are about what is happening.”
