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People in Paris rally in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza

Stop Arms Exports to Israel. (AFP)

A group of dedicated and determined activists is hitting the streets of the French capital once again in the hope of informing the public regarding the genocide in Gaza.

We are out every day of the week, not only Saturday, as today, to alert and to inform the people, because the population doesn't get the news from the mainstream media.

They hide the news, and it is forbidden to them to tell [sic] the word genocide and to say that Israel is refusing any ceasefire and any possibility even to save the Israeli hostages.

Olivia Zemor, Europalestine, President

The weather and Olympic and Paralympics security measures may have kept the numbers down, but there remain some tough questions for the authorities.

If France goes on, keeps on, the economic and diplomatic relationships with Israel, they have no reason to change, and the French government is granting Israel incredible privileges, especially in the field of commerce, commercial import in France.

Olivia Zemor, Europalestine, President

So far, over 35,000 people have signed an online petition to urge the French government to halt arms sales to Israel.

According to defense ministry figures, France sells an average of $22 million worth of military equipment to Israel annually.

 After 10 months, the death toll and injuries in Gaza keep mounting day by day, with most international governments seemingly unwilling or unable to intervene.

How effective are petitions and protests, or indeed events such as this one?

It’s very sad, because it really does not have much impact in Paris compared to many, many other cities in Europe and everywhere.

And I feel very sad about that. Why? I don't know.

I don't understand. Because France is a big country and they like nurture that with freedom of speech, and they've nurtured us with human rights and this and that and everything.

Charmaine Coutinho, Europalestine

Further demonstrations of support for Palestine are planned in the days and weeks ahead.

Organizers of Saturday's rally say their principal aim is to educate and inform the public here as to what is going on in the West Bank and in Gaza, and to add to the voices of the people, not just in France, but elsewhere, calling for an end to the bloodshed.


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