'Freedom is a right, not a dream': London rally demands action for Palestinians

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) — Over 3,000 protesters gathered in central London on Saturday to honor the victims of Israel's assault on Gaza and demand that the UK Labour government withdraw support for Tel Aviv as it commits genocide.

The emotional rally and vigil were marked by speeches, candlelight tributes, and a reading of names of Palestinian children killed in the ongoing conflict.

British-Palestinian children, standing at the gates of Downing Street, read aloud the names of the children who have lost their lives in Gaza.

The event saw attendees singing carols, leaving flowers, toys, and candles to commemorate the thousands of lives lost.

Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, addressed the crowd, criticizing the UK government's refusal to acknowledge the crisis in Gaza as genocide.

"The prime minister refuses to accept that this is a genocide. He has made the decision that the interests of Western imperialism are more important than the lives of the Palestinians," Jamal said.

He cited a report by Save the Children, which revealed that 40% of those killed in Gaza are children.

"They should be learning how to ride bicycles and how to read, not ending up in the mortuary or with their body parts scattered across the ground," Jamal added.

He also highlighted the mental health crisis among Gaza's youth, citing a recent report that found that half of the enclave's children express a wish to die, while 96% believe their deaths to be imminent.

Palestinian activist Leanne Mohamad also spoke about the plight of her people, drawing parallels to the freedom achieved by Syrian detainees in recent weeks.

"It is only human for our hearts to be lifted at the sight of detainees being released, families reuniting, and refugees returning home," Mohamad said. "We yearn for the same. Freedom from tyranny is not only a shared dream — it is the unshakable right of every oppressed people."

Mohamad also condemned the Labour Party for its complicity in what she described as genocide. "We will never forgive this Labour government for its betrayal. Not only aiding and abetting Israel’s crimes but being complicit in genocide,” she said.

"They are claiming they want a cease-fire while hypocritically providing military support, intelligence, and diplomatic cover to Israel."

Israel has launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 44,800 victims, mostly women and children, since an attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, on Oct. 7, 2023.

The second year of genocide in Gaza has drawn growing international condemnation, with officials and institutions labeling the attacks and the blocking of aid deliveries as a deliberate attempt to destroy a population.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last month for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense chief Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on Gaza.