The 47th consecutive week of protests against Israel鈥檚 genocide took place after Israel launched a new invasion of the Palestinian West Bank on August 28.
At least 10 Palestinians were killed on the first day of what Al Jazeera as Israel鈥檚 鈥渓argest assault [on the West Bank] in two decades鈥. More have since been killed.
The assault targeted the Jenin refugee camp 鈥 the site of a 2002 massacre by Israel听鈥 and cutting off food and water, besieging the main hospital, firing on paramedics and journalists, aerial bombings, and major damage to civilian infrastructure.
Electronic Intifada that 鈥淚sraeli forces shot and killed 82-year-old Tawfiq Ahmad Qandil in Jenin, and then opened fire on the ambulance that came to aid him鈥.
The artistic director at the Freedom Theatre in Jenin refugee camp, Ahmed Tobasi, Democracy Now on August 29 that 鈥渢hey [Israel] want Palestine empty from Palestinians鈥 and that 鈥渢he people in the [refugee] camp are really afraid that [what happened in Gaza is] going to happen to them鈥.
Riley Breen reports that Friends of Palestine WA (FOPWA) called a snap rally in Boorloo/Perth on August 31 in response to the attacks on the West Bank.
boorlooperthrally31-8-24byrileybreen.jpeg
Sophie McNeil spoke about the brutality of the attacks that haven't been seen since 2002. Other speakers at the 300-strong rally included a member of Students for Palestine and a Palestinian from the West Bank.
The action demanded Australia 鈥渋mpose an immediate two-way arms embargo on Israel and urge other states to do the same; break diplomatic ties with Israel, including expelling the Israeli ambassador from Canberra and recalling Australia's ambassador in Tel Aviv; ban entry to Australia from all Israeli government representatives and illegal settlers guilty of war crimes; and impose trade sanctions on Israel, beginning with a complete ban on the import of all products made in illegal Israeli settlements鈥.
The next FOPWA rally will be on September 14.
marching1-9-24bychloeds.jpeg
Israel鈥檚 assault on the West Bank was also taken up at the September 1 rally in Naarm/Melbourne.
Jordan AK reports that Palestinian-Irish writer, illustrator, environmental educator and community art therapist, Sophia Sabbagh spoke about the escalating violence, dispossession and displacement in West Bank, which has worsened since October 7.
She referred to a 听by the Israeli foreign minister, made earlier in the week, calling for ever-more extreme violence in the West Bank. 鈥淭his is a war for everything and we must win it,鈥 it said.
鈥淚srael is using strategies in the West Bank that they have been using to commit genocide in Gaza,鈥 Sabbagh said.
鈥淚srael wants to accelerate genocide in the West Bank while the world's eyes are on Gaza, with over 600 killed and thousands injured in the West Bank since October [2023].鈥
Sabbagh pointed out that Hamas has never governed in the West Bank and that Israel鈥檚 latest assault is 鈥渕ore evidence鈥 that 鈥渢his war on Palestinians is about taking land and resources, rather than about fighting Hamas鈥.
The rally 鈥 attended by thousands of people 鈥 emphasised the interconnectedness of the fight for Palestinian liberation with other struggles, including for workers鈥 rights, climate justice and refugees.
Zane Alcorn, a member of Socialist Alliance and rank-and-file Construction Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) member of 10-years, on behalf of the recently-formed community-union solidarity group Defend the Unions 鈥 Defend the CFMEU.
Referring to Labor鈥檚 attacks on the CFMEU, Alcorn said: 鈥淭his is not about bikies and it is not about criminality: it is about smashing the strongest union to make sure the massive, and growing, gap between the tiny super rich minority and the workers keeps getting bigger even when millions of workers can barely afford their mortgage or rent.鈥
鈥淵ou want to find the criminals, Labor? Look in the mirror,鈥 Alcorn said. 鈥淚'm pretty sure being an accessory to genocide and shipping weapons components to Israel in the middle of mass murder of civilians is a bit more serious than any crime any CFMEU member is accused of.鈥
He pointed out that a victory for the CFMEU against Labor鈥檚 anti-union laws locally, like a victory for Palestine internationally, will 鈥渆nergise progressive politics鈥.
moreinjusticeanywhere1-9-24byjordanak.jpeg
Rathy Barthlote, co-founder of Refugee Women Action for Visa Equality, also spoke and expressed solidarity with Palestinians. 鈥淎s a Tamil who fled the genocide in Sri Lanka, I know all to well what it is like to be targeted for who you are.鈥
She pointed out that the Australian government supported the Sri Lankan regime at that time and 鈥渄eported thousands of Tamil refugees to face danger鈥.
鈥淭hose of us allowed to stay were denied visas by the Labor government, then the Liberal government who imposed the brutal the fast-track program, keeping us in limbo for over a decade.鈥
Tamil refugees are still denied the security of a permanent visa 12 years later, she told the crowd.
Barthlote spoke about Mano Yogalingam, who died after self-immolating just days earlier, and called for permanent visas for all refugees 鈥渋ncluding to those who are fleeing Palestine鈥.
The September 1 rally in Gadigal Country/Sydney involved a .听
Peter Boyle reports that protesters pointed out that Father鈥檚 Day is a nightmare in Palestine, that won't stop until Australia and other rich Western states stop arming Israel.
fatherofpalestine1-9-24bypeterboyle.jpg
鈥淲e remember Palestinian fathers who have been torn in pieces, slaughtered in cold blood,鈥 one speaker said. She pointed out that fathers in Palestine are 鈥減icking up their children in pieces, weighing their body parts of their children鈥.
鈥淭his terror and violence has been imposed by the terror state of Israel,鈥 she said, 鈥渁nd supported and funded by the Western governments including the murderous and genocidal Australian government鈥.
caltex1-9-24byjordanellis.jpg
In Kaurna Yerta/Adelaide, pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside the Caltex on West Terrace on September 1, Jordan Ellis .
The action drew attention to how Caltex (owned by Chevron) is profiting from the Palestinian genocide. Chevron runs natural gas extraction pipelines off the shore of Palestine, making it a major partner in the illegal exploitation of Palestinian natural resources. Chevron鈥檚 extraction activities generate billions of dollars in revenue for apartheid Israel and its war cabinet.
Chevron also supports Israel鈥檚 lobbying efforts for the construction of the Eastmed Pipeline, a massive European Union-sponsored fossil fuel project, that would exacerbate the global climate crisis.
The protest called on people to boycott Caltex.
Three hundred people turned out on September 1 in Magan-djin/Brisbane听to help launch the campaign of leading Palestinian activist Remah Naji, who is contesting the federal seat of Moreton.
Activists in Kombumerri/Gold Coast rallied on August 31. The action expressed solidarity with the people of Palestine and highlighted the ongoing complicity of the local council with apartheid Israel.
Justice for Palestine was discussed at the Drinks for Humanity in Djilang/Geelong on September 1.
voteforpalestine1-9-24byalexbainbridge.jpg
resist1-9-24bypeterboyle.jpg
fathersdaynightmare1-9-24bypeterboyle.jpg
fromrivertosea1-9-24byjordanak.jpeg
听