End Israeli aggression!

by New Worker correspondent

Activists from International Ukraine Anti Fascist Solidarity (IUAFS) joined the National Palestine march in central London on Saturday with placards making the connections between the wars waged by NATO imperialism in Gaza, Ukraine – and now Lebanon, the latest Arab country to be burned by the flames of war with the Israeli war machine insolently issuing diktats to civilians to move or face being killed or maimed.
Over 300,000 people took part in the march through the capital last weekend. It was clearly the largest for many months, almost certainly because the great majority of the British people have been horrified by the indiscriminate Israeli bombing which has so far killed over 1,100 Lebanese civilians and injured far more, including hundreds of women and children.
The IUAFS protest received an overwhelmingly positive response from the protestors, with dozens taking photos, and many showing heart signs and clenched fist salutes.
Increasing numbers of people in Britain, the US and the rest of Europe are finally beginning to see the connections between NATO weapons supplies to Israel and to Ukraine, and are questioning the insane sums being spent on a war which they see as impossible to win, when people at home want more money spent on schools, hospitals, housing and transport.
At the last national protest one speaker from the organisers said "We have a new Labour government in Britain, but they are telling us there's no money to solve the massive problems our country faces. There's no more money for housing, there's no more money for hospitals, there's no more money for schools and no more money for prisons. But there's always enough money for Israel, and there's always enough money for Ukraine".
And now victims of the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in the USA are demanding to know why their government has just found $8 billion for Ukraine – on top of the $65 billion already given since 2022 – but can only cough up $750 each for the people who lost their homes.
The impact our small campaign is now making was confirmed recently when the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign (USC) – a pro-NATO group which supports the imperialists’ puppet regime in Kiev – published an article attacking us, and naming some of our activists. We have also discovered that the two men who aggressively harassed our last protest, on 28th September, were also members of the USC. Such attacks simply prove the effectiveness of our solidarity with Ukrainian democrats and anti-fascists, and they will not stop us from continuing our work for as long as it is needed.

We shall return!

keys -- the symbol of the right to return

by New Worker correspondent

Last weekend over 250,000 demonstrators marched through central London to commemorate the Nakba, the ethnic cleansing of over 750,000 Palestinian Arabs, three-quarters of Palestinian population, from their homeland in 1947/8, and the subsequent denial of their right to return. For over 76 years, the Zionist entity has denied Palestinian refugees their right to return to their lands, and has entrenched a colonial-settler regime of control that systematically discriminates against Palestinians in all aspects of life. Israel’s current genocide is built on the foundations of this project.
Activists from International Ukraine Anti Fascist Solidarity regularly join the Palestinian protests to highlight the links between Western imperialism’s wars in Israel, Ukraine and Yemen –  the role of NATO countries in all three conflicts sending weapons and money and using sanctions to advance the aims of US-led imperialism. Their placards calling for an end to sending weapons and advisors to Ukraine and Israel, and peace talks in Ukraine, Israel-Gaza and Yemen, received an overwhelmingly positive response from the protestors including clenched fists and victory signs.
Ben Jamal, the director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, later said the march was an astonishing demonstration of solidarity. “After 14 marches calling for an end to all UK complicity in genocide, the movement is still growing in size and strength,” he said. “Hundreds of thousands attended yesterday, from all sections of society”.

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’?”

Free Palestine echoes across London!

By Dermot Hudson

On Saturday 14 October at least 150,000 people marched through the heart of London in support of the rights of Palestinian people and for an end to Israel’s war on the people of Gaza. The demo was massive. It was the biggest march seen in the capital since the US-led invasion of Iraq. It took over two hours for the march to travel the short distance from Portland Place to Whitehall for a rally addressed by a number of speakers including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
When you consider that the march was called at comparatively short notice the turnout seems even more impressive and shows that people are not fooled by the 24/7 Zionist propaganda of the mainstream media .
There was a sea of red ,black , green and white Palestine flags . Also to be seen were some Turkish and Pakistani flags. Regrettably one “Free Syria “ flag and one ISIS banner were also to be seen. Of course Korean solidarity campaigners carried  a DPR Korea flag and a Cuban flag was also spotted. It was good that there were no Ukraine flags to be seen!
The marchers, who chanted ‘Free Palestine ‘ and ‘ From the rivers to the sea Palestine shall be free’ along the way were subjected to massive police surveillance with police helicopters whirling noisily overhead and police camera teams photographing and videoing people. We noticed a police horse transporter and units of the police Territorial Support Group ( a successor to the discredited ‘Special Patrol Group )on standby . However there was none of the violence or rioting that the right-wing twitterati and some in the mainstream media predicted.