A pro-Palestinian protester waves the Palestinian flag at a protest march in New York City (European)
Afrasianet - The activities of the "World Day of Action for Palestine", organized by the Global Alliance for Palestine, kicked off on Saturday, with the participation of more than 200 organizations, across 325 events distributed in 60 countries on six continents.
The coalition said: "From the far east of the world, Mass demonstrations In New Zealand, Australia, and Southeast Asia, the voice of Palestine has gradually begun to rise around the world, as part of popular movements and historic international mobilizations in support of Palestine”.
"From London to capitals and cities around the world, people of conscience are rising together today to declare that the genocide and the suffering of the Palestinian people will not be forgotten, and that Israel's illegal occupation will never be normalized or accepted," he added.
"The sheer scale of today's movements shows that solidarity with Palestine has transformed into a thriving movement that transcends borders, where communities everywhere raise their voices and make it heard to the world," the statement continued.
The events are spread across several regions, most notably Europe, which witnesses 176 events in 24 countries, followed by Australia and New Zealand with 45 events, Latin America and the Caribbean with 36 events in eight countries, and Africa with 32 events in ten countries, in addition to events in North America and Asia.
The coalition said that the international mobilization "goes beyond traditional marches and demonstrations, to be manifested in a stunning mosaic of social, cultural, educational and creative challenges, proving that popular resistance rejecting the crimes of the occupation takes multiple forms around the world."
In Modena, Italy, a multi-day cultural programme includes public testimonials, children's workshops and live music performances. In the Italian cities of Alessandria and Cape Town in South Africa, memorial processions are held carrying huge shrouds, one 25 metres long and the other 20 metres, bearing the names of Palestinian children martyred as a result of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.
The events extend to other continents, including the "Bird Watching for Palestine" initiative, organized by the groups "Colectivo Cardenales" and "ComPalestina Yucatán" in Mexico, and the performance of the play "Martyrs of Gaza" (Mashahidi wa Gaza), presented by the group "Friends of Palestine in Tanzania" in Dar es Salaam.
The activities also include a funeral commemoration and the recitation of names in Kleber Square in the French city of Strasbourg, a two-day festival of solidarity with Palestine at the Lycapetus Theater in Athens, and a kite launch event for children, organized in conjunction with the international conference "Environmental Genocide: The Silent War Crime" in Tehran, according to the statement.
Coordinated by anti-war coalitions, trade unions, student unions and grassroots networks, the movement is joined by individuals and groups demanding an end to what the coalition has described as Israel's impunity.
"Governments can no longer hide behind hollow statements of concern or complicit silence, but are required to take concrete and immediate measures to hold Israel accountable, impose a military embargo, halt arms supplies, and prosecute those responsible for war crimes and atrocities committed by the state," the coalition said.
"Today's movement is not a passing wave, but a turning point in an ongoing international struggle. Palestine is not alone, and this global movement will not retreat until Israel's impunity is shattered, and true justice, freedom and liberation for the Palestinian people are achieved."
From London to Istanbul. Demonstrations Demand an Halt to Israel's Arming
Participants wave Palestinian flags and banners calling for an end to Israel's armament during a demonstration in London (Al Jazeera)
Thousands of people demonstrated in London on Saturday, calling on the British government to stop arming Israel and impose sanctions on it, in a march that raised slogans demanding an end to what participants described as British complicity in Israel's war on the Gaza Strip.
Paris, Berlin, Istanbul and Copenhagen witnessed similar moves, in which participants demanded an end to the war on Gaza and the entry of aid, as well as an end to military or commercial cooperation with Israel.
Al Jazeera correspondent Mina Harblo said that the march is the 37th of its kind in London since the start of the war on Gaza, noting that its participants came out in the thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, according to field scenes.
The demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and banners that read: "Stop arming Israel," "Stop financing genocide," "End the occupation," and "End complicity in Israeli war crimes."
University students, doctors, health workers, trade unionists, academics and artists took part in the march, according to Al Jazeera's correspondent, who said that the protesters believe that the British measures taken so far do not meet their demands for a comprehensive ban on arms exports to Israel.
Demonstrators said they were also demanding an end to intelligence sharing between Britain and Israel, and a review of British institutions and companies' relationships with entities they say are linked to the Israeli military or settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign announced on its account on the "X" platform that the march started from the "Victoria Insurance" area in central London under the slogan "End the Genocide", calling for an end to Israel's armament and the imposition of sanctions on it.
The correspondent said that the participants consider the Palestinian issue to be an issue of public opinion in Britain, and that they continue to put public pressure on the Labour government to take broader steps towards Israel.
In Istanbul, participants gathered in the historic Bayezid Square in preparation for a march towards Sultanahmet Square, to demand an end to the war on Gaza, the lifting of the blockade on the Gaza Strip and the entry of aid.
Demonstrators waved Palestinian, Turkish and Palestinian keffiyeh flags, while some wore white gloves that organisers said symbolised a refusal to remain silent about what was happening in Gaza.
The participants called for continued demonstration of solidarity with Palestinians in Turkey and abroad, and for pressure on the international community to take action to stop the killing and daily targeting of civilians, according to Al Jazeera correspondent Amer Lafi.
In Paris, a march started from Place de la République towards the Châtelet area in the center of the capital, passing through the Place de la Bastille, according to Al Jazeera correspondent Noureddine Bouzian.
Participants raised Palestinian flags and banners demanding an end to the war on Gaza and the unfettered entry of aid, while speakers called for Israel's leaders to be held accountable before international justice, an end to the occupation and settlements, and a guarantee of the Palestinians' right to self-determination.
Participants and pro-Palestine organizations called on the French government to take steps beyond diplomatic recognition of the state of Palestine, including halting arms exports to Israel and pushing the European Union to suspend its association agreement with Israel. The movement was attended by lawmakers from leftist currents and trade unionists, according to Al Jazeera's correspondent.
In Berlin, more than 3,000 people, according to an initial estimate reported by Al Jazeera, gathered in a rally called by the United for Palestine coalition under the slogan "No peace on stolen land."
The march was scheduled to start from the Brandenburg Gate, but police moved its starting point to the area opposite the German Chancellery building, before heading to Potsdam Square, citing security concerns, according to Al Jazeera correspondent Issa Tibi.
The correspondent said that the police deployed more than 1,300 personnel to secure the march, which was attended by activists and political, academic and trade union figures, as well as the Left Party and other political movements.
The participants called for the cessation of German government cooperation with Israel, an end to the supply of weapons to Israel, and called for the protection of the Palestine solidarity movement from harassment and distortion, according to the reporter quoting the organizers of the movement.
In Copenhagen, demonstrators gathered near the Danish Resistance Museum in a march towards the city centre, and Al Jazeera correspondent Abdullah al-Shami said organisers expected it to last about three hours.
Solidarity activists from Denmark, as well as participants from Sweden and Norway, took part in the action, raising Palestinian flags and banners calling for an end to the war and pressure on Israel.
The participants called on the Danish government to stop its trade and military relations with Israel. Some also accused the Danish shipping company Maersk of contributing to the transfer of military equipment to Israel, an accusation expressed by the demonstrators during the march.
Military Equipment
In September 2024, the British government suspended about 30 of the 350 licenses for the export of military equipment to Israel after a legal review, but excluded components of F-35s manufactured under an international program.
In June 2025, the British Supreme Court ruled that the continued export of these components was lawful, despite the ruling acknowledging that the aircraft could be used in violations of international humanitarian law, considering that the decision to participate in the multilateral defence programme was within the government's prerogative.
These exceptions, particularly those related to F-35 components, remain at the heart of criticism from Palestine-solidarity movements, which are calling for a complete ban on British arms exports to Israel.
F-35 parts are manufactured in Scotland. Police crack down on protesters in front of a weapons factory cooperating with Israel
Banner says: Children starving and Trump playing golf (Reuters)
Despite the cold winter in Edinburgh, a number of Scottish activists insisted on gathering in front of the Italian arms factory "Leonardo" in the morning, to protest what they described as the factory's collusion with the Israeli occupation in its war on Gaza.
One of the activists involved in the protest told Al Jazeera Mubasher: "We are here trying to close this factory, because it produces spare parts for the F-35s that are used in the genocide in Gaza. We as a people, we do not support genocide, and what we are doing here today is trying to restrict the flow of weapons into Israel."
The activist, who was masked and refused to reveal his face or name because of police pursuing protesters, noted that there was a proposal for a complete government boycott and ban against Leonardo's factory several months ago, but that has not happened so far.
"We want Scotland to be a place that stands on the right side of history, and that doesn't just come from words, it comes from stopping supporting the Israeli regime," he said.
"Violent" treatment by police
Another activist revealed that the police treated them violently during their protest in front of the Italian factory. "We are very sad because of the way the police treated us this morning, they escalated the situation while we were acting peacefully, they were punching people and throwing them to the ground. The situation was very tense," he said.
Another elderly activist explained why he insisted on going and protesting in front of the Leonardo factory despite the cold weather in Scotland, saying: "They are playing a pivotal role in manufacturing the parts of the F35 that caused total destruction in Gaza. This needs to be brought to people's attention."
On October 8, 2023, Israel began a two-year genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, leaving more than 71,000 martyrs and more than 171,000 wounded Palestinians, and massive destruction that included 90% of infrastructure at a cost of reconstruction estimated by the United Nations at about $70 billion.
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Source: Al Jazeera + Agencies
