London: Over 100,000 in march for Palestine

On the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on Saturday, more than 100,000 people marched in London to demand an end to Israel's genocide, military occupation and apartheid against Palestinians.

This time, the Quaker Witness group led silent worship with the Christians for Palestine at the London Jesuit Centre in Mayfair, before setting out to join the national march via Pall Mall, the Haymarket and Trafalgar Square to Number 10. It was a damp chilly day.

Canon Pat Browne from the Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster said: "I was very happy to join the Quaker group for the March on Saturday. Their quiet but persistent prayerful presence at these marches is a powerful witness to their care for the people of Gaza."

Rev Sam Fletcher, an Anglican priest in the Diocese of Exeter who attended said: "We were so grateful to be with the Quakers, who have been unwavering in their commitment to peace, justice and solidarity with Palestine, even when many churches and religious groups have been reluctant to speak out."

A number of speakers addressed the crowds from a platform in Whitehall, outside Downing Street. Among them was Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald, Labour MP, Bel Ribeiro-Addy, Author Peter Oborne, actor Denise Gough, and Palestinian campaigner Hala Hanini.

Peter Oborne condemned the ceasefire deal signed by PM Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump, pointing to the continued killing of Palestinians. More than 300 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire took effect on 10 October. Oborne also criticised rising settler violence in the West Bank, citing UK exports to Israel as enabling the settler project. He defended the right to protest amid harsher UK government crackdowns on Palestine Action and other pro-Palestinian groups, describing activists as "the best of the best" who are exercising basic British values of "fairness, decency, support for the underdog" and "support for international law".

Mary Lou McDonald, president of Sinn Fein, lent her support to the Filton 24, saying: 'No-one who hungers and thirsts for justice should be jailed. We send our solidarity to them all, not least those on hunger strike.'

(The Filton 24 are charged with taking direct action in August 2024 to disable weapons at a facility belonging to Israel's largest arms manufacturer, Elbit Systems, at Filton, near Bristol.

All were denied bail and are their trial has been scheduled for a date almost two years after their detention.

The government has unleashed counter terror powers against them, in an unprecedented crackdown on the right to protest.

The International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) have said the 'Filton case is a litmus test for democracy'.)

She said, 'Certain western nations arm, fund and politically shield Israel and that includes the British government.'

Challenging the international community, she asked, 'Will this simply be a pause before the next assault, or can it be a turning point in the world where we finally choose law over impunity and justice over power?

'Every day in the West Bank, Palestinians face military raids, land theft, settler violence and detention without charge. No people on Earth would accept this for themselves and Ireland understands the reality of occupation and the reality of resistance.'

'We understand that real peace is never built on submission. It is built on equality, on rights and on recognition. Our own peace process teaches and shows that no conflict is beyond resolution. So peace in Palestine must be the end of occupation, must mean the end of apartheid and the full realisation of a sovereign Palestinian state.

'The ceasefire creates immediate obligations. First: humanitarian aid entering Gaza at full scale. Secondly: Every displaced family with the right to return. Thirdly, accountability for war crimes. Fourthly, all hostages, all detainees must be released, and finally there must be a genuine internationally backed peace process that leads to full Palestinian self-determination not the endless management of injustice.

'To the people of Palestine listening today I say, we recognise your struggle as a legitimate national struggle for freedom and statehood. We heard your voices as the bombs were falling, we hear you now as you search in the ruins for your children, for your neighbours, for your future and we will continue to amplify your demand not for charity but for freedom.

'So let this ceasefire be a moment when this world finally confronts reality. Let it be an irreversible step toward liberation and justice for Palestine.

'And from London, we say, Stop the occupation and the land theft, the collective punishments, the injustice. Start enforcing international law, start building real peace and to the people of Palestine I say with all my heart you are not alone. We are with you, Ireland is with you, the World is with you.'

Jérôme Legavre of deputy of the France Unbowed party, and Marc Botenga of the Belgian Workers' Party very much echoed these words as did Chris Nineham, Vice-Chair of the Stop the War Coalition.

Ms McDonald's compatriot, the actress Denise Gough, recited a searing poem about Gaza which included these words:

'This city has become the throne of eternal grief, a mausoleum of memory, a curse carved into the Earth.
One day perhaps the scribes of some future Scripture will write: Gaza the land where the forsaken walked,
Where angels wept and where even storms remembered to grieve.'

Chris Nineham, Deputy Chair of the Stop the War Coalition told the crowds: "Netanyahu should be tried for war crimes and polls show 65% of the population agree."

Stephen Kapos, who marched with a group of Holocaust survivors and their relatives told Middle East Eye: "As a child survivor of the Holocaust I am particularly offended when the Holocaust is used as a justification for impunity by the Israeli state. We are out here as Holocaust survivors to undermine those lies and distortions..... I'm protesting because despite the fake ceasefire and peace deal actually the holocaust and genocide and ethnic cleansing is continuing, and as longs this goes on and there isn't a just outcome for the Palestine people we will keep coming out to support them."

A Christmas song for Palestine: Lullaby, with Neneh Cherry, Celeste, Nadine Shah, Brian Eno and others was played at the demonstration. It will be released on 12 December to raise funds for Palestinian charities. Supporters are being asked to pre-order it from the following link to help it reach the Christmas Number One. It costs just £1.98. See: https://togetherforpalestine.org/

On Saturday there were also marches and vigils around the country, including Norwich, Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham.