Thousands of protesters gathered in Naarm/Melbourne on July 6 to demand humanitarian aid enter Gaza and for an immediate, permanent, ceasefire. It was the 91st weekly Palestine solidarity rally in the city.
This followed a Palestine flag-holding action in Gadigal Country/Sydney on July 5 and several anti-AUKUS actions, such as in Magan-djin/Brisbane, on July 4.
These actions took place days before United States President Donald Trump hosted war criminal and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.
The last time Netanyahu met Trump, the PM said the US would “take over” and “own” Gaza, and that Palestinians living there could “go to other countries”. On three occasions now, the US has failed to uphold international law by arresting Netanyahu, who is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is saying nothing about international law and genocide, but has condemned pro-Palestine protesters who disrupted diners at Israeli-owned restaurant Miznon in Naarm/Melbourne on July 4.
The owner was connected to the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an Israeli-US organisation that has taken over aid distribution in Gaza, and whose employees regularly shoot at, and kill, starving Gazans. The Israel Defense Forces and pro-genocide mercenaries have murdered at least 600 Palestinians and wounded 4200 while they were seeking aid since late May.
Palestinian activist Mohammad Sherab condemned the media’s double standards, at the July 6 rally, for depicting protesters as violent while refusing to condemn Israel’s genocide, in the wake of the Miznon restaurant action.
Activists also responded to the antisemitic arson attack on the East Melbourne synagogue that happened on July 4.
“We stand firmly against antisemitism, just as we stand against Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism, and all forms of racial and religious violence,” rally MC Scheherazade said. “Our movement is rooted in justice and not connected in any way to the attack on the East Melbourne Synagogue.”
Scheherazade also condemned the GHF, which launched in February, describing it as “control and delivery of food as a weapon of war and tool of genocide”.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan set up a new Anti-Hate Taskforce following the synagogue attack, for which a 34-year-old man from Gadigal Country has been charged. Allan has also promised to increase police powers to enforce that state’s already harsh anti-protest laws.
The Jewish Council of Australia’s Ohad Kozminsky warned on July 7 against weaponising acts of antisemitism to stifle legitimate protest, saying “there is no Jewish safety in a society where criticism of militarism is banned, protest is criminalised, and war crimes are excused”.
He criticised the Victorian government and media’s “reckless responses” to recent events in Naarm, including calls to expand police powers.
He said it is “irresponsible and inflammatory” to link the antisemitic act with separate protest actions targeting businesses with ties to the Israeli military. He said while restaurant patrons “should not be subject to intimidation or harassment”, the Allan government is wrong to describe the protest as “antisemitic” based solely on the Jewish identity of the restaurant’s owner.
naarmrally6-7-25bybrandon.jpeg
Scheherazade, who is from the from the Elbit Out of Victoria campaign, also expressed solidarity with First Nations Peoples in this country. She criticised the recent death in custody of Aboriginal man Wayne Green in Parklea Prison, New South Wales.
“There have been at least 598 indigenous deaths since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody gave its final report in 1991; 13 so far in 2025.”
Victorian Socialist member Marty Hirst spoke about the support Western countries — including the US, Australia, France and Germany — have provided Israel via direct funding, intelligence and supply of weapons, vehicles and ammunition.
“The genocide would not be possible without the help of Israel’s western allies — we call this system imperialism. At the moment, the imperialist powers of the west are funding Israel’s genocide [against Palestinian people]. The United States since October 7, 2023, has given Israel over $20 billion — $31 million per day.”
“Imperialism is a global system and without that global system, Israel would not be able to carry out its genocide.”
Palestinian artist and theatre director Aseel Tayah, who is in Australia to work on a documentary connecting Palestinians and First Nations, as well as a play ‘One last lullaby’, read from the play that was inspired by true stories of mothers from Gaza living and caring for families in the extreme circumstances.
The crowd also heard from Lebanese-Austalian sisters Jayda and Rayyan.
nojusticenopeace6-7-25byjordanak.jpeg
wavingpalflag6-7-25byjordanak.jpeg
wedidntvoteaukus4-7-25byalexbainbridge-web.jpg
jg_4.jpeg
