Over a thousand people protest outside Downing Street against the siege of Gaza (click photo to enlarge)

End the Siege of Gaza Protest

London, 9th February 2008

BACKGROUND

PROTEST

"Don't prevent me from my childhood" - remembering the Palestinian children caged and now starved in Gaza. According to "Save the Children" charity more that half the population of Gaza are children.[5]

Several New Zealanders celebrating Waitangi Day (the national day of New Zealand) in Parliament Square joined the protest outside Downing street.

"Stop the killing
Stop the crime
Israel out of Palestine"

"72 Palestinians died because of the siege of Gaza from lack of medical drugs in Gaza Hospitals, or were denied access to hospitals outside Gaza". Sadly since the placard was made more have died.. Al Damier - the Palestinian Gaza based association for human rights confirmed that as of 11 Feb 2008 there have been 103 Palestinian patients who have died as a direct result of the Israeli imposed siege on the Gaza strip![6]

Over a hundred people have dies in Gaza as a direct result of the Israeli siege, due to lack of medicine, and lack of access to hospitals outside of Gaza. Their names appeared on placards with details of their deaths, and their names were read out in remembrance.

The names of those who died in Gaza due to lack of medicine as a result of the israeli siege were read out in remembrance

Jean Lambert, Green Party MEP for London, holding placard "End the Siege of Gaza Now!" next to banner "Jews for Justice for Palestinians"

"We Shall Overcome" surrounded by placards with the names of Palestinians who have died as a direct result of the siege of Gaza due to lack of medicine and denial of access to treatment - "Hala Zanoun - 3 months old - Died after not being allowed to leave Gaza for medical treatment"

"Stop Starving the Palestinians"

"End Gaza Siege"
"Nazmi Ashour - 50 years old - Died at Erez checkpoint on 7 November 2007
Was not allowed to leave Gaza for medical treatment"

Demonstrators facing the gated entrance to Downing Street.

Message to UK Prime Minister:
End Gaza Siege
Respect the Palestinian Choice - Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh

Home made poster reads: "Mamma I'm scared why are they doing this?"

The rabbis of the Neturei Karta, the Jewish world's most outspoken critics of Zionism, attended in full force. Since they are forbidden to use transport on the Sabbath they had to make the two-hour journey from Stamford Hill on foot in their Saturday dress of prayer shawls and fur-rimmed hats. Two of the elderly senior Rabbis, one of them 76 years old, also insisted on making the gruelling 7 mile each-way walk, they are not present in the this photo - by the time they completed their journey it was evening (the evening photos below include them).
[ TIP: Next time you are trying to convince someone to come to a demo recall to them the dedication of these elderly rabbis - they will have no excuses left! ]

Protest continues in to the night..

VIDEO

FUTURE

[1] Sheetrit: 'IDF should wipe out parts of Gaza', By Yaaov Katz and Tovah Lazaroff, Jerusalem Post 11 Feb 2008.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1202657415850&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[2] Israel's Olmert says no invasion Gaza, By Mark Lavie, Associated Press 10 Feb 2008.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080210/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_palestinians

[3] Experimenting with Famine, Neve Gordon, Palestine Chronicle

[4] The state of Gaza should shame us all, by Barbara Stocking, Director of Oxfam

[5] http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/en/41_4100.htm

[6]http://www.imemc.org/article/52703