By Bern Kerrigan-
Tens of thousands joined a pro-Palestinian rally in Sydney on Sunday, organisers said, of one of dozens of demonstrations across Australia.
Organizers said the Sydney rally alone drew about 30,000 participants, one of 27 nationwide. Many protesters declared that even if the ceasefire holds, Israel still practices apartheid.
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The protest was inspired by a September report by the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry found that “genocide is occurring in Gaza and is continuing to occur”.
Activists at a pro-Palestine march in Sydney’s CBD made speeches, including Palestine Action Group organiser Amal Naser, who submitted the form 1 application for the Opera House route. Palestine supporters also held rallies in Melbourne and Perth.
A number of protesters remain sceptical of the ceasefire arrangements between Israel and Palestine
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The Palestine Action Group, estimated a crowd of 30,000 in Sydney gathered for the protest, one of about 27 nationwide. Police did not have a crowd estimate for the protest.
A pro-Palestine march in Sydney’s CBD heard speeches from activists who took part in the Global Sumud flotilla as well as Palestine Action Group organiser Amal Naser, who submitted the form 1 application for the Opera House route. Palestine supporters also held rallies in Melbourne and Perth.
“Even if the ceasefire holds, Israel is still conducting a military occupation of Gaza and the West Bank,” Amal Naser, an organiser of the Sydney rally, said in a statement. “The occupation as well as systemic discrimination against Palestinians living in Israel constitute an Apartheid system.”
The shadow communications spokesperson also said that she supports a Senate inquiry into the Optus outage that last month led to the deaths of four people, alongside pulling “every single lever” to prevent a similar outage in the future.
The Gaza ceasefire held on Sunday, and Israeli troops had pulled back under the first phase of a U.S.-brokered agreement to end the war, which has killed tens of thousands and left much of the narrow enclave in ruins.
Australian organizers says 30,000 people are packing central Sydney to protest against Israel, with some expressing scepticism that a ceasefire in Gaza will hold.
The demonstration is one of 27 being held across Australia, according to the Palestine Action Group, as pro-Palestinian demonstrators continue to rally against Israel despite the ostensible end of the war and partial withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
There have been more than two years of weekly pro-Palestinian protests in capital cities, amounting to nearly 100 rallies since October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants killed approximately 1,200 Israelis.
Israel launched a two-year military offensive on Gaza that killed more than 67,000 people, including about 20,000 children, according to the United Nations.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry, an umbrella group for more than 200 Jewish organizations, condemned the protest organizers.
“They want the deal to fail, which would mean the war would continue,” co-chief executive Peter Wertheim says in a statement.
The rally was held in the business district after a court last week blocked a move to hold it at the Sydney Opera House.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry, an umbrella group for more than 200 Jewish organisations, condemned the protest organisers. “They want the deal to fail, which would mean the war would continue,” co-Chief Executive Peter Wertheim said in a statement.
Gazan authorities say more than 67,000 people have been killed in Israel’s military response, and much of the enclave has been flattened.
Australia is no stranger to rallies. Only two months ago thousands of Australians have turned out for anti-immigration rallies across the country that were condemned by the government as having far-right links and “spreading hate”.
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This particular demonstration is tied to deep emotions and a feeling of grievance in relation to the state of genocide taking place in Gaza.