As ceasefire in Gaza stalls and casualties mount, Europeans are marching for action. Photo provided by: @josh.lee.syd / Instagram
On Saturday, November 29, tens of thousands of people marched in Europe for the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Protests took place in major European cities including Paris, Geneva, Lisbon and Rome, with protesters accusing Israel of violating a US-brokered ceasefire and blocking humanitarian aid from entering Gaza and demanding international action to end the war.
Activists including Greta Thunberg, Francesca Albanese and Thiago Ávila, as well as members of Global Sumud Frotila, all took part in the march, joining thousands of demonstrators in major cities, calling for immediate action to end all forms of military cooperation and for the introduction of sanctions.
The fragile ceasefire is reportedly being broken daily.
Demonstrators say the fragile ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump and put into effect on October 10 has already been broken repeatedly by Israel and does little to bring about a durable solution to the conflict. Under the cease-fire agreement, Israeli forces withdrew behind the so-called “Yellow Line” in the Gaza Strip. However, Israel still occupies more than half of the territory, and both countries routinely accuse each other of ceasefire violations.
Activists unite to march
Climate activist Greta Thunberg led some demonstrations in Rome, Italy, where she accused the Italian government of complicity in the war and spoke openly about the genocide of Palestinians. Thunberg also formed part of Global Smud Frotra, a coordinated non-violent movement of around 20 ships that aims to bring aid and supplies to Gaza and raise international awareness of the humanitarian crisis there.
UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese also led the march in Rome, denouncing the lack of media coverage that reflects the reality of the situation in Gaza and condemning Italy’s military cooperation.
“Italy and the European Union should stop transferring arms, conducting military exercises with Israel and trading in technology that could fuel ongoing crimes,” Albanese said.
worldwide protests
Other major cities participating in the global march include Milan, Genoa, Dublin, Berlin, Stockholm, London, São Paulo and Istanbul. A recent survey conducted by YouGov EuroTrack found that public sympathy for Israel across Western Europe has fallen to its lowest level in years. The survey shows that few Western Europeans think Israel’s recent military actions in Gaza are justified, reflecting a shift in public opinion in recent months.
Israel and Hamas have been at war for more than two years, leaving Gaza devastated and more than 70,000 people dead, according to new figures released by the Gaza Ministry of Health on Saturday, November 29.
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