Australia: Thousands rally against Israeli Gaza attacks

Australia: Thousands rally against Israeli Gaza attacks

By our reporters
31 December 2008

About 3,000 people demonstrated in central Melbourne yesterday against the Israeli military's bombardment of the Palestinian people in Gaza. The rally, called at short notice by the Palestinian Community Association and Justice for Palestine, was attended by a broad range of people. In addition to families from Palestine and the Middle East, working people and students from many different backgrounds gathered to express their opposition to the Zionist state's war crimes. The demonstration followed a 2,500-strong protest in central Sydney on Monday.

Many of the Melbourne demonstrators carried home-made banners, including: "This is not retaliation—Israeli strikes are murder", "Who's the Terrorist?", "Your silence condemns killing of civilians", "350 killed—shame Israel", "Stop Israeli crimes—End Gaza siege", and "If we don't stand up for children then we don't stand for much".

Protestors chanted slogans demanding a halt to the bombing and for the lifting of the protracted Israeli siege of Gaza as they marched from the State Library to Federation Square. A minute's silence was observed for the hundreds of civilian victims, including the five girls from one family in the Jabaliya refugee camp who were killed as they slept when an Israeli bomb attack collapsed their house.

Several protestors waved shoes in the air—referring to the incident in Baghdad earlier this month when US President George Bush was forced to duck to avoid shoes thrown by an infuriated Iraqi journalist denouncing US war crimes in his country. Protestors in Australia were clearly aware that the Israeli government's aggression was only possible because of the political, military, and economic support lent to it by US imperialism.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/melb-d31.shtml

The Federal Government says Australia will provide $5 million in extra humanitarian assistance to those affected by the renewed violence in the Gaza Strip.

Israel has bombed the area for a fifth day in response to rocket attacks from Hamas militants.

Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the Government remains deeply concerned about the escalating crisis, and has again urged Israel and Hamas to halt the violence.

The aid will be delivered through the United Nations and other relief agencies, and Ms Gillard says the Government will consider providing further help if necessary.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/01/01/2457701.htm?section=world