Stand by the people of Gaza!

by New Worker correspondent

Over 300,000 people marched in solidarity with Gaza on the  streets of  London on Saturday 21 October  – making it by far the biggest ever demonstration for Palestine in British history. In fact according to police estimates it was the tenth largest march in British history on any issue.
The demonstrators marched through the heart of the capital down Park Lane, via Hyde Park Corner, Piccadilly and Trafalgar Square to reach Whitehall and Parliament Square. 
Labour Party branches have been banned from discussing the conflict and elected representatives "strongly advised" not to attend pro-Palestine demonstrations. But many Labour supporters ignored the call and joined the protest.
Sir Keir Starmer seemed to suggest that Israel had “the right” to withhold energy and water from Gaza when speaking on LBC London radio last week. But angry voices from Labour’s rank-and-file have provoked a back-lash against the Zionists, especially amongst the Muslim community,. 
A number of Labour councillors have resigned over what they described as Starmer’s “horrifying” comments that were “endorsing a war crime”. Labour has now lost control of Oxford City Council after the eight Labour councillors resigned the whip in protest. Twenty councillors more across the country have followed threatening to bring down Labour administrations of two more councils.
Starmer now claims what he meant to say was that Israel has the right to defend itself and retrieve the around 200 hostages being held “within international law”.
Meanwhile Palestine Action campaigners chanted “Labour Party, blood on your hands” and “no more money for Israel’s crimes” during a protest outside the party’s London headquarters over its stance on Israel and Gaza while other targetted Labour MP’s offices throughout the country.
London Palestine Action activist, Alia Malak, told the media that “the atrocities in Gaza are taking place with the direct support of the UK government, a position which Labour has supported.
“It is absolutely urgent that Labour changes its position and joins calls for an immediate ceasefire now and an end to the arms trade with Israel.”
“Both the UK Government and the Labour opposition have offered unwavering support for Israel’s bombing campaign in the name of ‘Israel’s right to self-defence’”.
Now a petition has been launched in support of a London a London Tube driver who has been suspended for leading a Palestine chant over the train’s speaker system during the big demo in London. Over 760,000 people have signed the petition calling on Transport for London (TfL) to reconsider disciplinary action. 
The driver chanted ‘free, free’ several times over the system while Tube passengers shouted back ‘Palestine!’. He then told passengers to “keep all those people in your prayers”
 and “hope you all have a pleasant day, look after yourselves” to the cheers and applause of the passengers – mostly demonstrators getting out at Marble Arch.
The petition says “[The driver’s] actions were an expression of his personal feelings about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and a plea for peace.
“Unfortunately, this act of empathy and solidarity has put his job at risk, as it has allegedly violated company guidelines or policies.
“It is vital to uphold the principles of freedom of expression, compassion, and empathy for people enduring conflict, irrespective of personal beliefs or affiliations.”
An Israeli embassy official said "it is deeply troubling to see such intolerance on London's tubes. Transport for London’s public transport should be a place of safety and inclusivity for all". But as maverick London Labour MP  Diane Abbott put it “would this have happened if he was chanting ‘Free Ukraine’?”