No Break in Pro-Palestine Protests As Israel Continues Bloodshed in Gaza
In Indonesia, over 1000 people held a pro-Palestine rally in Medan, in the hope that a ceasefire would happen in the Gaza Strip soon.
Over 1000 Indonesians held a pro-Palestine rally in Medan, in the hope that a ceasefire would happen soon.
The pro-Palestine rally in Medan took place on Sunday in front of Istana Maimoon, the former palace of the Sultan of Deli, a major landmark there.
Mustafa Kamal Harahap, 40, a local resident, said he thought it was his responsibility as a Muslim to come and express his support. "My motivation for attending these protests is that we hope that Palestine will be given its freedom and that there will be a ceasefire because, as the war goes on, there are more and more victims," Al Jazeera quoted Harahap as saying.
Harahap stated that he had attended three protests prior as well in various regions of Sumatra in support of Palestine and that he would attend any future events. Since the breakout of the Gaza war, pro-Palestinian demonstrations have occurred throughout Indonesia.
Indonesia, where popular opinion is overwhelmingly pro-Palestinian, is the world's most populous Muslim country, with around 87 per cent of the country's 270 million people practicing Islam. Aside from rallies, there have been demands across the country to boycott companies seen to be associated with Israel, such as McDonald's and Starbucks.
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In Turkey, simultaneous protests across the country saw thousands voicing their anger at Israel for crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Organized by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), the rallies on Sunday were an expression of support for Palestinians suffering under the attacks by Israel since Oct. 7.
Protesters, some wearing keffiyehs, some waving Palestinian flags, marched in most cities in Turkey on the occasion of World Human Rights Day. In Istanbul, Turkey’s most populated city, the center of the rallies was the historic peninsula. A large crowd marched from Beyazıt Square to Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque. Before and during the rallies, demonstrators recited verses from the Quran and prayed for Palestinians slaughtered by Israel. The crowds occasionally chanted slogans, “Resist, Palestine” and waved placards and banners reading “Free Palestine.”
Pro-Palestine rallies have been a staple of big cities and usually are held on Fridays, since Israel launched its attacks on Gaza. Turkey is sided with Palestine and conducts diplomatic efforts for a resolution to the conflict. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a staunch defender of the Palestinian cause for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and spearheads efforts for a lasting truce.
The Turkish public is also united in opposing Israel’s atrocities toward innocent Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and joined millions from around the world in rallies against the Netanyahu administration since Oct. 7. Protests, which began outside the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul immediately after the Israeli attacks in October, spread across Turkey in the following days.
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Protests gripped the world after Israel’s brutal attacks targeting civilians in Gaza. Amid bombings of hospitals and schools, more people took to the streets, especially in the Western countries whose governments have been supportive of Israel’s attacks. Erdogan says public opinion may turn the tide in countries supporting Israel’s atrocities as people disagree with their governments’ support. He recently gave the example of French President Emmanuel Macron who adopted a new rhetoric calling for a cease-fire after his initial unconditional support for the Netanyahu administration.
Source: Agencies
