Wellington witnessed a significant display of solidarity today as supporters gathered for the “All Out for Gaza National Rally.”
People from all over New Zealand arrived by caravan, convoy, flight, foot, and ferry, converging on the Beehive to demand decisive action to end the genocide in Gaza.
Green Party co-leader Chlõe Swarbrick attended the rally and addressed the crowd, saying, “We are going to continue turning up in the streets every single week with you and we are going to continue taking that fight into the halls of power where it belongs”.
Organised by a Palestinian-led coalition, the rally called on the New Zealand government to condemn Israel, impose sanctions, recognis Palestinian statehood, grant emergency visas to the families of Palestinian New Zealanders in Gaza, and increase funding to the UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency).
Reflecting on the rally’s importance, spokesperson Yasser Abdul Al said, “The government claims it has done everything possible to uphold international law in Gaza. Yet, more than 37,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s ongoing offensive on Gaza, and reports of bombed hospitals and refugee camps have become distressingly routine.
“This rally is a powerful reminder to the government that there are concrete actions still untaken. It is a testament to the nationwide sentiment that demands, ‘We can and must do more to bring this to an end.’ As a nation, we have a profound moral and legal obligation to stand firmly against these egregious violations of international law and the horrific loss of human life.”