Australian protests show growing global concern about Gaza

Australian protests show growing global concern about Gaza

Brisbane, Australia - if Australia wants to convey a message, it often turns to the extensive backdrop of the Sydney Harbor, home of the opera house and the iconic bridge, which connects the city with its northern suburbs. In this sense, the organizers of the normally small pro-Palestinian protests, which have been taking place every two weeks since the Gazas invasion of Gazas in 2023, chose the bridge to set a global sign.

a sign of determination

"We thought that the bold and somewhat daring idea of marching about the Sydney Harbor Bridge would address the imagination of everyone who was horrified by the events," said protest organizer Josh Lees from the Palestinian Action Group. The group felt reinforced by the pro-Palestinian statements of artists at the Glastonbury Festival and the victory of the democratic candidate for the Mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, who was supported by parts of the city's Jewish population despite his criticism of Israel.

a great mobilization

On the last Sunday, according to police estimates, at least 90,000 people marched over the Sydney Harbor Bridge with umbrellas, signs and flags, while cold winds and heavy rain poured them out. The organizers estimated the number at 300,000. The fact that, despite the adverse weather conditions at the hastily organized event - only planned seven days in advance, so many people participated in the hastily - it indicates that the Australians expect their government to act.

political pressure before the UN Assembly

The laboratory government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is increasingly under pressure to join others such as the United Kingdom, France and Canada and to secure a formal recognition of a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in New York in September. Albanese and high -ranking ministers have laid the foundations for public announcement in the past few weeks that it is a question of "when, not whether". Wong emphasized the urgency of the situation and said that there was a risk that there would no longer be a Palestinian state if the international community did not pave the way for a two -state solution.

The reactions of the Australian government

The Australian government has declared that it has not delivered weapons or ammunition to Israel during the current Gaza War or in the past five years. However, Australian companies are part of a supply chain that provides parts for F-35 fight jets, the type of aircraft that Israel uses to bombs on Gaza. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defense emphasized that Australia has no direct bilateral agreement with Israel in relation to the F-35 program.

global effects of the conflict

The conflict in Gaza has far -reaching effects on the Muslim and Jewish communities in Australia. Reports on anti -Semitism and Islamophobia have increased since October 2023, which resulted in a comprehensive strategy to combat this “wave of hate”. The protests reflect the growing concern about the conflict and its effects on society in Australia.

change of position and public opinions

The perceptions of the event were different. Some saw in the march a recovering representation of public humanity, while others saw him as an unjustified attempt to interfere in a complex debate. "Obviously, we do not support Hamas politically," said Lees from the Palestinian Action Group. The reporting in the Australian media reflected the split opinions. While the West Australian advertised the event as "Bloody Chaos", the Sydney Morning Herald reported from the event entitled "Sydney says 'enough'".