Over 3,000 people gathered in Belfast city centre for a rally in support of Palestine on Saturday. The protest was organised by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign and comes amid an upsurge in conflict between Hamas and Israel in the past three weeks. Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli demonstrations have been held in Belfast since the violence erupted, with the former gathering at Writer’s Square before walking along Royal Avenue to City Hall in a show of support for the Palestinian people. Rallies also took place in London, Manchester and Glasgow.
Speakers at the Belfast rally included Sinn Féin’s Declan Kearney, who later defended his party’s long-standing policy on Palestine. North Belfast MP John Finucane spoke at the London rally, calling for an immediate ceasefire and for the Israeli government to grant access and safety to the UN and other humanitarian agencies to fulfil their duties. Other speakers included the SDLP’s Paul Doherty, the Green Party’s Anthony Flynn and Gerry Carroll from People Before Profit.
The Palestine conflict began when Hamas launched a surprise assault on Israel on 7 October, leading to Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. The Hamas-run health ministry reports that these strikes have killed more than 7,000 people. In Dublin, several thousand people gathered near the United States embassy to protest US support for Israel, accusing it of complicity in Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Dr Hani Mahdi, one of the Belfast rally’s speakers, works in the city and has family in Gaza. He spoke of losing 13 members of his extended family in recent weeks, stating that “we need there to be a ceasefire, we need peace.” The peaceful rally was attended by various groups coming together to support the Palestinian people during a time of crisis.
The rallies come amid international concern over the ongoing conflict, with clashes continuing after almost a month of fighting, leading to a skyrocketing death toll in the region. Many nations have called for an end to the violence and for diplomatic efforts to find a lasting solution
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