By Stephanie Gardiner and Daniel Fogarty | January 04, 2009
A PROTESTER burnt an Israeli flag and others carried coffins as thousands of people staged demonstrations against the Gaza conflict today.
About 2000 people gathered outside the Sydney Town Hall to vent their anger over Israeli airstrikes on Gaza that have killed hundreds of Palestinians in recent days.
They chanted, "Free, free Palestine" and "Israel, USA, how many kids have you killed today?"
Others held placards saying "Patience O Gaza we have not forgotten you" and "Disgraceful world silence".
Invading Israeli ground forces have fought fierce battles with Hamas militants in Gaza since entering the region last night.
The ground operation follows an eight-day bombing blitz that killed hundreds of Palestinians and caused widespread destruction.
Gaza emergency services said one child had been killed and 11 others wounded in a tank attack.
Many speakers addressed the Sydney crowd to loud cheers from protesters of all backgrounds.
Forad Shriedy told the crowd he had been forced to flee Palestine as an eight-year-old in 1948.
"We are here today to condemn Israel's terror... and to say no to the brutal attacks on Gaza," Mr Shriedy said.
"Every person has a homeland to live in, but for the Palestinians the homeland lives in us."
The protest snaked through CBD streets, blocking off part of George Street as weekend shoppers and commuters looked on.
Marchers carried three coffins past the Egyptian consulate in the nearby suburb of Surry Hills as a reminder of the lives lost in the conflict.
Protesters chanted, clapped and banged on drums as they made their way to Belmore Park, where a young man climbed a tree and set an Israeli flag on fire despite organisers urging him to stop.
Protesters take sides.
In Melbourne about 3000 people turned out to protest against Israel's military assault on Gaza, just a few blocks away from a smaller pro-Israel rally.
About 500 supporters of Israel gathered at State Parliament chanting "no more terror", with banners calling for Gaza to be freed from Hamas' control.
At the Victorian State Library less than a kilometre away, pro-Palestinian protesters condemned the Israeli military action.
Protesters at the pro-Israel rally were draped in Australian and Israeli flags, and some held banners reading "Free Gaza from Hamas" and "Hamas uses human shields".
Speakers included Federal Labor member for Melbourne Ports Michael Danby and Liberal Senator Mitch Fifield.
Mr Danby asked Melburnians to imagine how they would react if their suburbs were being bombed.
"This is one of the dilemmas that democratic societies like Israel have to face. How do we react when faced by Islamist fanatics who would kill Australians, in Bali, murder our tourists in Mumbai and do what they are doing to the Israelis on the edge of Gaza," he said.
At the opposing rally, protesters called for a free Palestine and held banners showing photos of the bloodied corpses of children.
Other banners read "stop the holocaust in Gaza" and "peace & justice for Palestine".
Speakers urged supporters to write to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and newspapers to condemn the Israeli action.
Victorian upper house Greens member Colleen Hartland called on the Federal Government to speak out against the Israeli military assault.
Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard yesterday refused to criticise Israel's bombing campaign.
The two protest groups did not meet and there were no reports of trouble.
A PROTESTER burnt an Israeli flag and others carried coffins as thousands of people staged demonstrations against the Gaza conflict today.
About 2000 people gathered outside the Sydney Town Hall to vent their anger over Israeli airstrikes on Gaza that have killed hundreds of Palestinians in recent days.
They chanted, "Free, free Palestine" and "Israel, USA, how many kids have you killed today?"
Others held placards saying "Patience O Gaza we have not forgotten you" and "Disgraceful world silence".
Invading Israeli ground forces have fought fierce battles with Hamas militants in Gaza since entering the region last night.
The ground operation follows an eight-day bombing blitz that killed hundreds of Palestinians and caused widespread destruction.
Gaza emergency services said one child had been killed and 11 others wounded in a tank attack.
Many speakers addressed the Sydney crowd to loud cheers from protesters of all backgrounds.
Forad Shriedy told the crowd he had been forced to flee Palestine as an eight-year-old in 1948.
"We are here today to condemn Israel's terror... and to say no to the brutal attacks on Gaza," Mr Shriedy said.
"Every person has a homeland to live in, but for the Palestinians the homeland lives in us."
The protest snaked through CBD streets, blocking off part of George Street as weekend shoppers and commuters looked on.
Marchers carried three coffins past the Egyptian consulate in the nearby suburb of Surry Hills as a reminder of the lives lost in the conflict.
Protesters chanted, clapped and banged on drums as they made their way to Belmore Park, where a young man climbed a tree and set an Israeli flag on fire despite organisers urging him to stop.
Protesters take sides.
In Melbourne about 3000 people turned out to protest against Israel's military assault on Gaza, just a few blocks away from a smaller pro-Israel rally.
About 500 supporters of Israel gathered at State Parliament chanting "no more terror", with banners calling for Gaza to be freed from Hamas' control.
At the Victorian State Library less than a kilometre away, pro-Palestinian protesters condemned the Israeli military action.
Protesters at the pro-Israel rally were draped in Australian and Israeli flags, and some held banners reading "Free Gaza from Hamas" and "Hamas uses human shields".
Speakers included Federal Labor member for Melbourne Ports Michael Danby and Liberal Senator Mitch Fifield.
Mr Danby asked Melburnians to imagine how they would react if their suburbs were being bombed.
"This is one of the dilemmas that democratic societies like Israel have to face. How do we react when faced by Islamist fanatics who would kill Australians, in Bali, murder our tourists in Mumbai and do what they are doing to the Israelis on the edge of Gaza," he said.
At the opposing rally, protesters called for a free Palestine and held banners showing photos of the bloodied corpses of children.
Other banners read "stop the holocaust in Gaza" and "peace & justice for Palestine".
Speakers urged supporters to write to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and newspapers to condemn the Israeli action.
Victorian upper house Greens member Colleen Hartland called on the Federal Government to speak out against the Israeli military assault.
Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard yesterday refused to criticise Israel's bombing campaign.
The two protest groups did not meet and there were no reports of trouble.
Source: The Australian
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