By Nazrin Wilkinson.
Hundreds of Southampton residents marched peacefully through the city on Sunday 2nd June, to protest against the ongoing Israeli offensive against the Palestinians in Gaza, where more than 36,000 people have been killed.
The march, organised by the Southampton Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) with the support of the Muslim Council of Southampton, was the latest peaceful protest since the start of the offensive on 7th October 2023.
At noon a crowd gathered and walked from Southampton Guildhall to Bargate and back to protest against the killing of civilians in Gaza. Of the 36,000 Palestinians slain in the genocide, 70% are women and children.
This protest comes after the United Nation’s top court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a ruling in May to Israel to: “Immediately, halt its military offensive, and any other action in the Rafah Governorate, which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.” The Israeli offensive has continued despite the ICJ’s rulings and world-wide condemnation of what has been named as the Gaza Genocide.
Amnesty International reported: “One month after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered “immediate and effective measures” to protect Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip from the risk of genocide by ensuring sufficient humanitarian assistance and enabling basic services, Israel has failed to take even the bare minimum steps to comply.”
PSC, which has been active for 15 years in Southampton, showcased speakers from all walks of life including Muslims, Christians, Jews and the non-religious, reflecting that human rights concerns everyone.
The march was peaceful but one onlooker said: “There was the old bloke yelling “You all hate jews!” To which he did get the perfect response from someone on the march who said: “I am Jewish!”
Speakers signposted how locals can get involved in supporting the Palestinian people. So far, people in Southampton and PSC members have raised £10,000 through local events such as meals and music events to support humanitarian charities such as Medical Aid for Palestinians and others.
One speaker, a staff member at the University of Southampton, shared how the university union will be supporting staff through this humanitarian catastrophe.
However as more and more peaceful protests and university encampments play out across the UK and the world, an independent group of experts from the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) has this week stated: “It is possible, if not likely,” that famine is already stalking the enclave. Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), FEWS NET is an internationally recognised authority on famine that provides evidence-based and timely early warning information for food insecurity. The authority also helps inform decisions on humanitarian responses in some of the world’s most food-insecure countries.
A PSC spokesperson said: ‘PSC is not aligned to any political party and is fighting for the freedom in Palestine. Our campaigns have successfully opposed the government’s Anti-Boycott Bill which would have prevented public bodies such as councils from divesting in human rights abuses and pollution.
“Another current campaign is the consumer boycott of selected Israeli goods and companies that invest in arms to Israel.”
To find out more about the PSC and its work, visit : facebook.com/southamptonpsc.
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