Tens and tens of thousands have rallied across the world against Israel’s sickening bombardment of the Gaza strip. Australia was no exception.

Brisbane started the ball rolling on Friday night with a speakout of 100 people. Perth and Melbourne followed on Saturday. Perth’s protest was one of the largest pro-Palestine rallies ever held in the city. Despite persistent downpours, more than 1,000 people flocked into the centre of Melbourne on Saturday afternoon to listen to speeches and march through the streets.

Sydney’s protest was the largest in the country with around 5,000 rallying. This is an excellent response at such short notice. Socialist Alternative helped initiate many of these actions and we worked alongside many Palestine solidarity organisations to make them a success.

The mood of the actions was both sombre and angry. Samah Sabawi, a Gazan activist in Melbourne, spoke about the fear her family are experiencing. She described the terror of knowing that every five minutes a bomb will drop somewhere in the densely populated strip and that your house could be the next destroyed or your family or friends the next to die.

Other speakers talked about the need for resistance in Australia. Jamiel Deeb, a Palestinian member of Socialist Alternative, chaired the protest in Melbourne. He pointed out the bipartisan commitment in the Australian parliament to Israel. “Tony Abbott condemns the ‘violence’ of Hamas, but says nothing about the genocidal force used by Israel against the people of Gaza. Abbott and the rest of the Liberals have Palestinian blood on their hands.”

Protesters chanted “Tony Abbott, you can’t hide, you support apartheid!”

University of Sydney education officer Ridah Hassan urged protesters to return to the streets next weekend: “It is crucial that we continue to raise our voices in support of Palestine. Our government should be made to break all financial, economic and political ties with Israel. We will not rest until the bombing stops, until Israel withdraws from the West Bank and East Jerusalem, until settlement building ends and until Palestine is free.”

Further demonstrations have been called for next weekend.

End the war on Palestine

Perth: Saturday 11am, Murray St Mall

Melbourne: Saturday 1pm, State Library of Victoria

Brisbane: Sunday 1pm, King George Square

Sydney: Sunday 1pm, Town Hall