First rally of several marks a year of war on Gaza
KUALA LUMPUR: A “Free Palestine” rally was held here, the first in a series of gatherings to mark the one-year war on Gaza, with a message more pertinent than ever: that Palestinian resistance is not a religious struggle but a fight to stop the killings of innocent lives.
The rally was led by Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, who is also Amanah president, after Friday prayers at Masjid As-Syakirin, Tabung Haji.
This was the first of several gatherings planned in the next few days to mark Oct 7, the start of the bloodshed in Gaza.
The date marked the beginning of Israel’s onslaught on Gaza in response to an attack by the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas and other Palestinian resistance groups.
A memorandum addressed to United States President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and the US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was placed in the mailbox of the US Embassy here after security personnel said that no one would be accepting the memorandum.
Mohamad (centre) delivering his speech in front of Menara Tabung Haji during the rally. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
Rally organiser Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid said the memorandum was addressed to them as the US is a key ally of Israel.
The crowd, wearing the keffiyeh, held up Palestinian flags as they marched and shouted anti-Zionist and pro-Palestine slogans.However, they were stopped by policemen about 100m from the US Embassy gates.
Earlier, Mohamad applauded Westerners who are supportive of Palestine despite many of their governments backing Israel.“The ones who are standing up against the atrocities in Palestine now are the non-Muslims in the West. Some even immolated themselves as they could not bear to watch innocent Palestinians being slaughtered.
“(Yet) Arab countries do not care; they work together with Israel,” he said, adding that Malaysians could offer moral support to the Palestinian cause.
“The one who was declared a criminal by the International Court of Justice, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was even allowed to speak at the United Nations’ assembly,” he added.
Unwavering solidarity: Rally participants hoisting flags of Palestine being blocked by police while marching towards the US Embassy from Menara Tabung Haji during the Free Palestine Rally. -— IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
PAS Youth information chief Nadzir Helmi said PAS will stand together with all other parties as all must be united in support of Palestine.
“We must do away with our differences to do this,” he said.
Activists Hishamuddin Rais and Tian Chua also addressed the crowd.
“This is not a religious struggle but an anti-colonial struggle. No matter what party you are, we must support the Palestinian cause,” said Hishamuddin.
As for Tian Chua, he said: “As long as human lives are being oppressed, we must stand up for them.”
Student body and NGO representatives also spoke at the rally.
The peaceful gathering dispersed after an hour.
