Tens of thousands of people across the UK expected to protest in fifth national Day of Action against Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
• Up to 100 actions are taking place across the UK
• As Israel is charged with genocide at the International Court of Justice, the demand grows for a permanent ceasefire and lifting of Israel’s illegal siege to allow in desperately needed humanitarian aid
• UK political leaders are urged to stop their complicity in Israeli war crimes
On Saturday January 6th, tens of thousands of British people will show their opposition to Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip which has claimed the lives of more than 22 000 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children. Thousands more are missing, presumed dead. More than 85% of the population of Gaza have been displaced, more than 60% of buildings damaged or destroyed. Nearly 2 million people face winter without safety from bombing or the basics of human survival – shelter, adequate food and water.
This will be the fifth national Day of Action and it’s a continuation of the protests that have been held ever since Israel began its attacks on Gaza in early October. It comes the week before a seventh national March for Palestine in London on January 13th, which is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of people to protest against Israeli war crimes and the UK government’s complicity.
There are actions from Bath to Wolverhampton – protests, rallies, petitions, fundraising and marches, mainly led by Palestine Solidarity Campaign’s network of branches across the UK. Several protests will highlight the complicity of corporations like Barclays Bank, which holds over £1 billion in shares, and provides over £3 billion in loans and underwriting to 9 companies whose weapons, components, and military technology have been used in Israel’s armed violence against Palestinians.
Ben Jamal, PSC Director, said :
“The international community is beginning to confront the reality that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to the crime of genocide, as they demonstrate an “intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”. Israel is attempting to erase the foundations of Palestinian life in Gaza and ethnically cleanse the population. The government of South Africa has led the way in charging Israel at the International Court of Justice, and shown up the hypocrisy of UK political leaders who pay lip service to human rights and the application of international law, but actually support Israel’s crimes through diplomatic cover, military cooperation and arms sales.
This Saturday, ordinary people across the UK will come out again to show that the vast majority of them support the demand for a permanent ceasefire and stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine. They will also demand the root causes are addressed – Israel’s decades-long military occupation of Palestinian territories and its system of apartheid against Palestinians. We demand justice for the Palestinian people – their right to self-determination and to live in freedom, dignity and with equality.”