The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) has urged people to take to the streets for a National Day of Action for Palestine this Sunday, to “put the Australian Government on notice” for its lack of action against the Israeli genocide of Palestinian people.
APAN has called upon rally organisers and community members to concentrate their efforts in the biggest yet show of support for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and for Palestinian justice, human rights and self-determination.
APAN President Nasser Mashni said it was no accident that the National Day of Action for Palestine was being called for the same day the global community would be marking the 75th anniversary of the UN proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“As the world marks 75 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Palestinians continue to endure 75 years of ongoing Nakba, dispossession and ethnic cleansing - and it’s being televised, live, for us to view from the comfort of our sofas,” Mr Mashni said.
“Even with our pleas and demands for decisive Australian action to end the Israeli genocide of Palestinian people, more than 15,500 people have been killed by Israeli forces, and we’re now at the point where we won’t take more stalling, more weasel words, more complicity from the Australian Government.
“On this National Day of Action for Palestine, we’ll be saying to Australian members of parliament and the Australian Government that you ignore your citizens, you ignore the people of Palestine, you ignore international law and human rights, at your own electoral peril.”
The National Day of Action of Palestine will include protests in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin, Hobart, Townsville and Toowoomba among others, each of them appealing to community members of all backgrounds to unite to challenge Australian complicity with Israeli war crimes, apartheid and genocide in Palestine.
“In Gaza, Palestinians languish under an Israeli siege that collectively punishes people by denying them access to food, water, medical supplies and fuel, as Israeli forces target civilians and civilian infrastructure including hospitals, UN facilities, churches and mosques,” Mr Mashni said.
“In the West Bank more than 400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers since the beginning of the year, 254 of these people killed since 7 October, and Israeli forces are arresting Palestinians for any expression of solidarity with their people.
“There is not one single moment to lose in stopping the brutal settler-colonialism of Israel, and it’s with this urgency in mind that we will be this Sunday telling the Australian Government that our patience has run out.”
Visit www.apan.org.au/events to find a National Day of Action for Palestine event near you.
About us:
Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) works for Australian policy that supports Palestinian human rights, justice, and equality.
Contact details:
Lauren Salathiel
0491 941 253
lauren@apan.org.au