Pro-Palestinian demonstrators in UK intensify calls for immediate Gaza cease-fire

By Aysu Bicer and Cuneyt Karadag

LONDON / BERLIN (AA) – As Israel's war on Gaza extends into its 92nd day, pro-Palestinian demonstrators in the UK have intensified their calls for an immediate and permanent cease-fire in the blockaded strip.

Despite the passing days, the fervor of the protesters shows no signs of waning. Local communities are once again mobilizing, taking to the streets to amplify their collective demand for an end to the conflict and a lasting resolution.

The widespread demonstrations are aimed at urging a cease-fire in Gaza, with participants converging in various cities, including Birmingham, Bristol, Brighton, Canterbury, Oxford, and Hastings.

Amid diverse locations, local London marches are scheduled in areas such as Camden, Hackney, Harrow, and Ealing.

Notably, the Camden protest featured a rally outside the office of Labour leader Keir Starmer.

Campaigners have criticized Starmer for his perceived failure to advocate for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip despite the growing death toll.

Protesters chanted anti-Israel slogans and carried Palestinian flags and signs, with some reading "Stop bombing Gaza," "You should be ashamed," "From river to sea Palestine will be free," "Freedom for Palestine," "End Genocide," and "Cease-fire now."

"With Israel’s catastrophic onslaught ongoing, we must continue to take action to demand a cease-fire now, and an end to British complicity in Israel’s apartheid rule over the Palestinian people," the Palestine Solidarity Campaign said in a statement.

Addressing the protesters in Camden, Sabby Sagall, the president of the Camden Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said Israel has intensified its attacks on Gaza.

Pointing out Israel's history of ethnic cleansing since 1947, Sagall praised the International Criminal Court's application against Israel, submitted by South Africa, and described it as the most positive step taken during this process.

Sagall, expressing support for the Palestinian people as a Jew, said Israel has been terrorizing Palestinians for 75 years.

- 'British government diplomatically covering up genocide'

In his speech, Andrew Murray, deputy president of the Stop the War Coalition, emphasized the need for an end to political support in the UK for Israeli "genocide" in Gaza.

"The British and the American governments are ignoring the genocide. Our government is arming the genocide, it is politically supporting and diplomatically covering up genocide," he said.

"No movement is more important than the one we have built in Britain and our government's political support of this genocide must be broken," he added.

"Israel has been doing genocide and we can see it in the dead babies in their incubators. We can see it in the attacks that is making Gaza unlivable in the foreseeable future," he said.

A retired doctor Jonathan Flaxman, who is also Jewish, gave some information about what has happened to the health sector in Gaza and Palestine.

"There's no functioning health service in northern Gaza. Twenty-three out of 36 hospitals have been destroyed. And by destroying the hospitals, people who are injured, who couldn't be saved, will die slow, painful death. We know that it's part of the ethnic cleansing," he added.

Flaxman said hospitals are deliberately attacked under the pretext of targeting Hamas leaders, leading to the intentional targeting of health care workers, with over 300 of them killed.

Meanwhile, a group calling themselves the Organise Corbyn Inspired Socialist Alliance has started working to field an independent candidate against Starmer in the next election to oust the leader of the Labour Party.

"I am outraged that Keir Starmer hasn't called for a cease-fire. There are beautiful children in Gaza right now being murdered, being slaughtered, being traumatized. And Starmer hasn't voted for a cease-fire and we are outraged and we are campaigning to unseat him in his constituency," an alliance volunteer told Anadolu.

She said the politicians shouldn't take the people for granted, saying: "They need to listen to us, and millions of us want a cease-fire in Gaza."

She added that 26,000 votes are needed to elect a new member of parliament to replace Starmer.

Phil Davidson, one of the campaign volunteers, mentioned being prevented from voting in internal party elections as a former Labour Party member.

"I dedicate my time to make sure that Starmer was not in parliament. I see him live threat to democracy and democratic values," he said, adding that there must be an MP who will put the good of humanity first.

"It's not about socialism. It's not about conservatives. It's not about Islam or Christianity. It's about doing the right thing, looking after the weakest helping people when they need it," he added.

- Pro-Palestine demonstration held in Berlin

Also, a demonstration in solidarity with Palestine was held in Germany’s capital Berlin on Saturday.

Nearly 1,500 protesters gathered at Mehringplatz Square and marched to Potsdamer Platz in the center of Berlin, conveying messages of support to Palestine as well as protesting Israel's attacks on Gaza.

Protesters chanted slogans such as "Israel is a terror state," "Killing children is a crime," "Why are you silent, Scholz?" "Freedom for Palestine," "Stop the genocide in Gaza," "Germany finances, Israel bombs," and "Stop the war."

Carrying Palestinian flags, protesters held banners with messages such as "Stop killing innocent people," "Chancellor Scholz, Foreign Minister Baerbock, when will you have enough blood?" "German politicians are silent, deaf, and blind to Palestine," "End the occupation in Gaza," and "You cannot build sacred grounds on the mass graves of children."