The world watches Gaza again

How much longer must the Palestinian “Shoah” (שואה) continue?

ALREADY SUBJECT TO 18 months of ruthless Israeli bombardment and facing cold, calculated starvation, thirst, and disease, the world waits watching but refuses to intervene.  The nations of the earth did the same while Italy and Germany embraced fascism in the 1930s. They stood by and watched Mussolini and Hitler begin the Holocaust.

Thousands here in Brisbane Magandjin have joined the millions protesting the American slaughter of Palestinians by Israel. To no avail. Governments have acted to curb protests. Trump has ordered the deportation of Palestinian Mahmud Khalil despite being overruled by the Supreme Court.

Settlers have run amok in the West Bank, getting away with murder, torture, and abuse. Settlers are still stealing Palestinian homes.

Meanwhile, the Queensland Council of Unions has emailed unionists telling us ‘not to disrupt‘ this year’s march. One unionist proclaimed: “Must we stand by, hearing the sirens, with police rushing to drag Palestinians from the march before it even starts.“

Last year, a proud unionist was carrying a Palestinian flag, draped around his shoulders when QCU secretary Jacqueline King ordered police to move in, assault and remove him from the rally in the Exhibition grounds. This is wrong.

Only a small crowd of 30 or 40 people had come to listen to then Premier Steven Miles grabbing his 15-second opportunity on the evening news. We stood in silent disapproval of his government’s support for Israel. People were more vocal in July when Albanese came to the Greek club accompanied by far-right activists celebrating the genocide.

Scott Patterson also took a photo of armed police arresting a young woman outside in Browning Street. It was a traumatic arrest with a big male cop grabbing a fist full of her hair to control her. Scott, undeterred, took a photo notwithstanding the implied threat by Sgt Simon Acourt, who pointed the finger at him.

So what are workers to do this May Day?

We have three basic rights:

1) the right to march on May Day,
2) the right to attend the Exhibition grounds with our unions,
3) the right to have our own forum if we should wish, welcoming all groups and unions who are being excluded.

Vale Scott Patterson. I will miss your good natured presence at the Justice for Palestine rallies. Unbeknown to me, we both went to the same art school.

Ian Curr, 21 March 2025.