Wellington Activists Support Global March to Jerusalem

Around 50 pro-Palestinian activists gathered at midday today outside the Israeli Embassy in Wellington. The demonstration was arranged in solidarity with the Global March to Jerusalem (GMJ). Thousands are marching to Jerusalem in protest of Israel’s oppression of the Palestinian people, which is done in defiance of international law. Those who cannot get to Jerusalem will march to the Israeli borders. The demonstrations mark Land Day, an annual commemoration of six Arabs who were killed protesting Israeli land policies on March 30th, 1976.

The Israeli Embassy in Wellington sent out a furious press statement claiming that, “Sadly, the GMJ is an attempt to distract the international attention from what is happening in Syria and Iran during a highly volatile period in the Middle East.” It later states that Israel is “the only democratic state in the region”. The democratic state has put its police and defence force on high alert for the protest. However, the GMJ organisers intend the demonstrations to be peaceful.

Wellington activists stated that although the Israeli-Palestine situation is quite a complicated affair on some levels, on others it is quite simple. The two-party conflict is not between Jews and Muslims, or Arabs and Israelis, but simply between those who believe in human rights for all and those who believe in the superiority of some. As Palestinian deaths from the conflict far outstrip Israeli deaths, the pro-peace movement is pro-Palestine.

Although most Wellington-based supporters cannot directly contribute towards the peace process in Israel, a four-person team of Kiwi humanitarians will go to Gaza in April as part of an international convoy. Once there, they will help rebuild Gaza’s shattered infrastructure. Donate to Kia Ora Gaza at kiaoragaza.net.

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