MASSIVE PROTEST PLANNED IN PERTH: FRIENDS OF PALESTINE WA DEMANDS ACTION AGAINST ISRAELI AGGRESSION!
BY ASAD KHAN
Friends of Palestine WA has organized an ‘emergency’ rally scheduled for this Saturday at 4pm in Forrest Place, Perth, to protest Israel's ongoing military actions in Lebanon and to commemorate nearly a year of violence in Gaza, which has resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian deaths.
The protestors are urging the Australian government to impose military and economic sanctions on Israel and to expel the Israeli ambassador.
In an interview with protest organiser Vashti Fox, she expressed the urgency of the demonstration.
"Coming up to almost a year of the genocide in Gaza... the whole of the Gaza Strip has basically been turned from a place where people lived and had their lives into an absolute war zone of bombs and dust and bloodshed.”
“We are commemorating in grief and anger all of those deaths, while also protesting the disturbing aggressive escalation that Israel has prompted with their ground invasions and aerial bombardments."
Ms Fox further elaborated on the protest's objectives, stating that the Australian government must take a firmer stance against Israel’s actions.
"Australia's response has been extremely talkative about how much they care about civilian life. We demand that the government puts its money where its mouth is and expels the Israeli ambassador from Australia, declaring an end to all military ties," she said.
Fox noted that the Australian government has not gone as far as the British government in ending military links with Israel, and she urged for more decisive actions.
Addressing criticisms surrounding the presence of symbols such as the Hezbollah flag at protests, she argued against the anti-terror laws that have historically targeted the Muslim community in Australia.
“These laws have been used to criminalize Muslims and are part of a campaign of Islamophobia."
Ms Fox claimed that the current media hysteria, fuelled by political figures such as Peter Dutton and Anthony Albanese, aims to undermine pro-Palestine sentiment in Australia.
"If the government truly cares about who conducts terror and violence across the Middle East, they would take a firmer stand against Israel," she asserted.
As the protest approaches, Fox emphasizes that the rally is not just a stand against current events, but a broader call for justice and awareness regarding the ongoing plight of Palestinians.
"If they are really upset that people are carrying symbols of terror in Australia, then they would ban the Israeli flag," she concluded.
The upcoming rally is expected to draw significant attention as activists come together to voice their demands for change and justice regarding the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Listen to Ngaarda Media’s Lead Journalist Asad Khan speak with the Protest Organiser Vashti Fox: