2,000 protesters call for end to the killing

TWO thousand Oldhamers took part in a protest calling for an end to the bloodshed in Gaza.

The men, women and children braved the cold and poured on to the grounds of Grange School to show their support for Palestinians in the Middle East trouble spot.

A predominantly Asian crowd, with support from the Oldham TUC and the Saddleworth Peace Movement, gathered to listen as high profile speakers, including Oldham Euro MP Chris Davies and Oldham West and Royton MP Michael Meacher detailed the plight of those living in Gaza.

Hell

MEP Chris Davies, who has witnessed first hand the devastation in the area, said: “Israel has turned Gaza into hell. The ground is shaking with explosions, even during a ceasefire.

“There are donkey carts in the street and F16s in the sky, 21st century killing machines just dropping bombs, 300 children are dead already, hundreds more torn apart limb from limb.

“This is not the proportionate response of a civilised power. It is evil.

Actions

“Britain and the European Union hold some responsibility for Israeli actions. On no occasion in the past have we ever backed up our criticism of the treatment of Palestinians with any kind of action.”

The crowd roared in approval as Mr Davies called for an immediate embargo on the sale of arms to Israel and the suspension of the EU partnership agreement with Israel, which gives Israel favourable trading conditions.

More long-term security will only come about through a settlement with Palestine which would require the withdrawal of 450,000 Israelis from the West Bank, he said.

He added: “Above all, the Israeli government needs to talk to Hamas.”

“You can’t negotiate peace without talking to your enemy.”

Other speakers also called for a boycott on Israeli goods.

Michael Meacher said: “The action in Gaza can only be described as a war crime. The Israeli army has bombed UN buildings and has shown a total disregard for civilian life.

“This is not about the Hamas rockets, it’s about domination.

“Britain was bombed by The IRA during the 70s, but we didn’t respond by flattening West Belfast.

“While it is not acceptable for Hamas to fire rockets into a neighbouring country, in this case it is a symbol of defiance against the subjugation suffered by 1.5 million people who are penned into a tiny strip of land between a prison wall and the sea.”

Mr Meacher backed Chris Davies’s action plan for peace and called for Israelis to withdraw to the pre-1967 borders. He said: “We also need to create a viable Palestinian state and we need a comprehensive peace agreement between all the Arab states and Israel if we are to have any hope of resolving these problems.”

Immigration minister Oldham East and Saddleworth MP, Phil Woolas was met by boos from sections of the crowd when he got up to speak to condemn the continued military offensive and appealed for peace in the region.

The organisers of the event, the Interfaith Forum and Oldham Together, had stressed in their literature that the protest was about the Israeli government and not about the Jewish people and communities.

Fazal Rahim, from the Interfaith Forum, urged Muslims and Jews in Oldham to come together.

The event, one of many pro-peace demos taking place on Saturday, was also attended by Father Phil Sumner, from the Interfaith Forum, and the Mayor, Councillor Shoab Akhtar, and councillors of all political parties.