WITH no end in sight to the violence in Gaza and Israel, Islanders gathered in front of the government’s Broad Street headquarters on Saturday to remember those who have died and to call for peace.
The event, billed as A Plea for Humanity, saw around 60 people – including several families – listen to a number of speeches, despite warnings about heavy rain and wind being in place.
The move came after Jersey Overseas Aid pledged £200,000 to support the humanitarian aid effort for civilians trapped in Gaza.
Campaigner Natalie Strecker, who organised Saturday’s event, said she felt “paralysed by grief at the state of the world”.
She said: “It is my view that we must demand, this day, that our government calls on the UK government, who are responsible for our foreign policy, to push for an immediate ceasefire, to allow humanitarian aid to continue into Gaza and to support negotiations for a just peace.”
Ms Strecker said that although the killing of Israeli citizens by Hamas was “a horrific event”, the context, in which Gaza had been under military siege for 16 years, had to be recognised.
Along with speeches, the group held a moment’s silence in memory of those killed in the conflict.
Gaza-born journalist Yousef Alhelou travelled to Jersey from his home in London for the event.
He said: “As I am talking to you right now, a humanitarian crisis is unfolding in what is described as ‘the world’s largest open-air prison’, with war planes flying overhead all the time.
“I know that you also feel this pain when you see your fellow human beings being massacred. Do not be afraid of speaking out and do not let them silence you when you criticise their inhumane actions against Palestinians. This is not antisemitic.”
In addition to the speeches, Ms Strecker read out a statement on behalf of UK group Jews for Justice in Palestine, who called the attacks from both sides “unspeakable outrages we utterly condemn”, and played a video from former Israeli military pilot Yonatan Shapira.
