Photo above: the collective grave at Ramallah hospital.


Last Monday, one hundred came to demonstrate in Whitehall, opposite Downing Street, official London residence of the British Prime Minister.

Today, on Thursday 4th April, the day that Tony Blair flew to the US for his meeting with George Bush, one and a half thousand people responded to the call by the Association of Palestinian Communities:
"By staying silent and inactive, Blair is supporting Israeli state terrorism, contrary to all his stated support for peace and justice in the world.
We appeal to trade unions, community groups and political organisations to take action in solidarity with the Palestinians, to come out and send [him] the message loud and clear - STOP ISRAEL’S MURDEROUS CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS!"

Lots and lots of Palestinian flags - the same flags as had been planted on the makeshift grave in the car-park at Ramallah hospital, where medical staff buried the bodies of those they were forbidden even to return to their families for a proper funeral. And the same chant, too, in London and Ramallah: "Bil roh, bil dam, nafdiki ya Filistine." "With our spirit, with our blood, we sacrifice, oh Palestine!"

How much longer must Palestinians make such demands on themselves? How much longer must they pay so dearly to keep alive the hope of those things that should be granted to all of us, without any payment: peace, freedom, justice, dignity, life?


Demonstrate next Saturday (6th April) outside the Israeli Embassy; National Demonstration the following Saturday (13th April); see Indymedia UK Calendar for details.