By Mike Robertson
The rain falls relentlessly on around 30 people in the ceasefire vigil and the bombs fall relentlessly on the Palestinians in Gaza. Yet still the major governments of the so-called free world look on with only mild disapproval.
Those behind these dreadful acts show indifference to global opinion, disregarding the thousands of civilian casualties in their pursuit of revenge. To make matters worse the UK government abstained from the UN ceasefire vote, and the United States unilaterally blocked it with their veto.
It is now over a month since our vigil every Saturday from 1 – 2 started and it will continue until there is a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. We would like this to happen before the obliteration of every man, woman and child in Gaza.
Here are some quotes from the people taking part. Or, watch the video and hear it firsthand.
“I think it’s becoming increasingly important that we continue to show our solidarity with the ceasefire.” – Neil
“I’m just incensed at the Western leader’s lack of action over what is basically genocide.” Rosemary
“I was just reading a story this week about a young child who has been hit by airstrikes, on three separate occasions, the first of which he lost his parents and the third of which he lost his legs. And is a child of a similar age to my own.” – Danny
“I’m here today because I’ve just listened to the UN debate yesterday and then the US voted against it and Britain abstained, coupled with the complicit British media who don’t call out the lies of the Israeli ambassador and various other Israeli officials and just the inhumanity of it all is disgusting.” – Alistair
“What is shameful to me as a British citizen is to see what the government is saying in our name. They don’t speak for the people of Britain and the Americans certainly don’t speak for the people of America or for the world. … So I think even in places far flung like elsewhere in Scotland and Britain we can lend our voice however small in that case and if all these small voices were to speak together they would drown out the war on others.” – David
“I’m just here because I can’t bear this. I absolutely can’t and it gets worse and worse and worse. It’s beyond imagination, the horror that’s going on. I thought what Hammers did was utterly appalling, but there’s no conceivable way of calling us a proportionate response. It’s, it’s genocide.” – Jill
“I think that what the Americans did yesterday in voting against the UN resolution and what the UK did in abstaining is a real dereliction of duty and it really is about time that they actually echoed what the rest of the world is saying. It really is the rest of the world. So I’m appalled at what happened yesterday at the United Nations.” – Chris
“I just think it’s absolutely detestable that the world sits by and watches genocide happening. And that the United Nations can vote 13 to 15 to enact a ceasefire and the UK abstains and the US can veto the whole thing just as one member, I think is absolutely disgusting. What we’re doing is sitting by and watching the annihilation of a people and doing nothing about it. It’s more than a deep sadness. It’s madness that no one’s intervening and just allowing it to happen.” – Mark
“It’s just as important as ever to be here and especially given the vote yesterday which was embarrassing, to say the least, to see the UK sitting on their hands while the United States vetoed the UN Security Council’s vote there and thirteen other nations pushing for a humanitarian ceasefire immediately. Given what we’re seeing coming out of Gaza through the reporters on the ground. I noticed now even the BBC are using more footage of what’s happening there so it’s going into more homes and so the clamour for action’s bound to get louder. So, even on a day like this, we need to be visible and vocal.” – Robert
Categories: Local News
So good to see you all out there – visible and audible – including Rosemary with memories of Common Weal Perth & Kinross.
The world’s ‘mild disapproval’… only too true.
I have given up to watch BBC news and Sky news… and resorted to the only News-Channel that actually has had reporters on the ground there throughout this nightmare. What I have seen, cannot be unseen… it is haunting… and it feels like a dull pain, ever present.
This is not a war… there are other words that could describe much better what is happening there.
Guterres said that the atrocities that triggered this war did not happen in a vacuum. He was right.
And as long as the underlying issues are not resolved (will they ever be?), it is likely that this war only achieves one thing: hardening the fronts even more.
Hence the hell inflicted upon civilians now could breed more violence and more hate in the future. Civilians have lost lives, limbs, livelihoods, their dignity, everything… they have nothing more to lose…
This war must stop and it must stop now.
Like most human beings (surely?) I call for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire. The 75 year-old root cause must be righted. But the right-wing extremist Israeli government is violently opposed to such.
This should be a moment of truth and hope, but those in political power in Israel show no signs of committing to peace and justice in the future. Their lies and propaganda will continue to slowly but surely, eventually, destroy their idea of a Jewish only state. But we cannot allow the slaughter to continue.
Western powers must admit to have illegally supported the current (and past) Israeli government’s racist policies. A tall order for sure, but this is the moment for brave and just actions. I am deeply concerned that our leaders cannot or don’t want to see the truth.
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