Thousands of Australians protested in favor of Palestine on Sunday, two weeks after the country announced its recognition of a Palestinian state. Over 40 protests took place across the country, according to the Palestine Action Group, an Australian organization.
The group claimed that around 350,000 people attended nationwide rallies, although police estimated lower numbers in some cities. Organizer Josh Lees in Sydney said that protesters were marching to “demand an end to this genocide in Gaza and to demand that our government sanction Israel.” The Executive Council of Australian Jewry, representing the Jewish community, stated that the rallies created an “unsafe environment and shouldn’t be happening.”
In the past week, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched personal attacks against Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Mr. Albanese responded, saying that he did not take things personally and that he treated the leaders of other countries with respect. His government’s decision to formally recognize the Palestinian state in September, made on 11 August, followed tens of thousands of Australians marching over Sydney’s iconic Harbour Bridge in support of Palestine.
Source: https://news.sky.com/story/pro-palestine-australians-protest-after-week-of-tension-with-israel-13417435
