Thousands of people took to the streets across Australia in solidarity with Gaza, and all Palestinians, as Israel stoked a regional war in the Middle East.
Hezbollah鈥檚 military chief Fuad Shukr was killed on July 31 in Beirut, Lebanon, and, shortly afterwards, Hamas negotiator Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, in Iran.
Israel said was in response to a Hezbollah air strike in the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Hezbollah denied responsibility. Israel鈥檚 air strike on Haret Hreik killed three and injured 74 others.
While Israel did not claim responsibility for Haniyeh鈥檚 death, reports suggest the as it had a US$5 million bounty on his head.
Israel鈥檚 genocide is about to enter its tenth month and protesters around Australia continue to take to the streets 鈥 now for the 43rd week.
Because Israel has the political and military backing of the United States, and other Western countries, it is in no rush to negotiate.听
has now sent the USS Abraham Lincoln, which can carry 40 fighter jets, to the Middle East in preparation for a possible regional war. The US said on August 3 it was sending more ballistic missile defence-capable cruisers and destroyers, as well as an additional fighter jet squadron.
Many Western countries, including Australia, have urged their citizens to flee Lebanon but, without commercial flights and extra assistance, this is proving impossible.听The Lebanese diaspora said if Labor wanted to help, it could send in special airplanes to airlift stranded people out, as it did for duel Israeli citizens last October.
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Figures released by the Health Ministry in Gaza on August 1 show that at least听39,583 Palestinians听have been killed and 91,398 wounded since last October.
Pro-Palestine activists continue to take to the streets to show their support for a political solution. The protests have been going for 43听weeks.
More Lebanese flags were evident at the Palestine Action Group's Gadigal Country/Sydney protest on August 4.
, a 78-year-old member of the Palestine resistance, told the crowd she had never witnessed a genocide like this in her lifetime. 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 a war; this is a al'iibadat aljamaeia (驳别苍辞肠颈诲别)鈥.
She said not only does the assassination of Haniyah 鈥渕ean something鈥澨齮he 40,000 Palestinians who have been killed 鈥渕ean something鈥, adding that the martyrs have not died in vain. 鈥淧alestine will be liberated鈥, she said, adding 鈥淥ur resistance will not dwindle鈥.
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NSW Greens Senator told the rally that Labor has been 鈥渃aught out鈥 approving export permits to companies supplying parts for the F35 fighter jets being used by Israel to bomb Palestine.
He said Australian/US company Drone Shield had been found to be supplying 听 (anti-drone guns) to Israel 鈥 further evidence that for Israel in defiance of obligations under international law.
An emergency protest called by the Palestine Action Group two days earlier, August 2, to protest the killing of Haniyeh,听drew around 70 people.
told an emergency rally in Naarm/Melbourne, that only Israel and the United States can get away with such 鈥済angster鈥澨齛ssassinations. She said Israel wants a never-ending war, which is why the key Gazan negotiator 鈥 for a permanent ceasefire 鈥 was taken out.
Alex Bainbridge reports that Brisbane Justice for Palestine supported the in a Lantern Parade on August 3 in Magan-djin/Brisbane.
The parade was part of the Multicultural Australia Luminous festival. Participants sang traditional songs, performed Dabkeh and carried watermelon themed lanterns along with a giant camel.
Justice for Palestine is already planning a major rally for October 13, to mark one year of protesting the genocide. Preparations will be discussed at a public meeting on August 7. The next major Palestine rally in听Magan-djin/Brisbane听will be on August 11.
In Naarm/Melbourne, a lively crowd, drumming and chanting, heard from Australia Palestine Advocacy Network President Nasser Mashni, Lebanese Australian activist Tahina and Palestinian engineer听Bassil el-Ghattis addressed the protest on August 4.
Chloe DS reports that there were contingents from the Philippines diaspora, who held banners 鈥淔rom Palestine to the Philippines, End the US war machine!鈥, unionists marched behind a banner 鈥淚ntifada is union business鈥 and 鈥淭eachers and school staff for Palestine鈥 and healthcare workers had a banner saying 鈥淔und Healthcare not warfare鈥 and 鈥淪top bombing hospitals鈥 from the healthcare workers contingent.
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Some marched from the Palestine rally to show their support to the refugee encampment in the Docklands.
A rally to mark Palestinian Prisoners Day and solidarity with Gaza, the previous day in Naarm, demanded an end to 鈥渁partheid terror鈥.
Chloe DS reports that Jayda Abu Musa, a student from Gaza, told the crowd: 鈥淭oday we shine a light on more than 9600 prisoners languishing in Israeli cages, among them women, children who endure unimaginable cruelty, torture, sexual abuse and dehumanization鈥.
Jayda talked about her brother who was abducted by the Israeli Defense Forces from Al Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, where he had been 鈥渄edicating his life to saving others鈥.
Massni, from APAN, spoke about the 鈥2.3 million hostages鈥 in the 鈥渃oncentration camp of Gaza鈥. 鈥淓very one of them should be free鈥, he said.
A similar rally for Palestinian prisoners was organised in Punchbowl in Sydney鈥檚 West.
Susan Price reports that 80 people rallied at Kombumerri Country/Surfers Paradise on August 3.
Isaac Nellist reports that Students at the University of Sydney in Gadigal Country organised an 鈥unauthorised stalls day鈥 on August 1 to protest managements new draconian rules regarding campus activism, which came after a successful encampment force the university to agree to disclose its ties to Israel weapons companies.
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