Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Paris on Sunday to demand an end to Israel’s military operations in Gaza at the call of a collective bringing together “ For a just and lasting peace between Palestinians and Israelis » which brings together organizations marked on the left.
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Present at the gathering, LFI MP Aurélie Trouvé reported on X (ex-Twitter) more than 30,000 participants. According to a count from the Paris police headquarters, the demonstration brought together some 15,000 people. The prefecture has not reported any incidents.
The collective “For a just and lasting peace between Palestinians and Israelis” at the initiative of the rally unfurled a banner at the foot of the statue of the Republic, calling on France to “ demand an immediate ceasefire ” And “ stop the massacre in Gaza “. The CGT, FSU, La France Insoumise, the Union syndicale Solidaires, the France-Palestine-Solidarité association, the Mrap, the collective of Muslims of France and the French Jewish Union for Peace (UJFP) are part of the forty member organizations of the collective.
“ We have been mobilized for ten days against this killing which is happening in Israel and Palestine. A ceasefire is absolutely necessary, we must achieve, lift this blockade against Gaza and end the occupation of the Palestinian territories, says Richard Wagman, honorary president of the UJFP. For us, as Jews, it is extremely important to also distance ourselves from Israeli politics which do not represent us at all. And it is a transgression of all the Jewish values that we hold. It must be said that the State of Israel is shelling the Gaza Strip. There are already more than 4 000 dead, innocent people, these are civilians who collapse on the bombs and this is not acceptable. It’s pure revenge, it brings absolutely nothing except grief, hatred, it’s a dangerous spiral. This needs to be stopped immediately. »
“ We all came as a family for a message of freedom, equality and fraternity »
Among the thousands of participants in the pro-peace demonstration, there was a couple accompanied by their children. “ We all came as a family for a message of freedom, equality and fraternity. We are there for Palestine, but we can be there for any country and any people who suffer. We just want this land to belong to both Jews and Palestinians and for people to live happily on this land. », Explain the parents while one of their children adds: “ It really hurts us, these children who just want peace. We see them die. We see their parents die, it really hurts. »
On the sign of another demonstrator in solidarity with the Palestinian people, it is written: “Israel assassin, Macron complicit”. “We are here above all to express our solidarity with the Palestinian people in general and more particularly with the population of Gaza who for almost two weeks now have been living daily under bombs,” says this demonstrator.
Other rallies also took place elsewhere in France this Sunday, notably in Marseille at the call of the CGT.
Rally to demand the release of hostages held by Hamas
The Union of Jewish Students of France held a rally on Sunday evening in the 7th arrondissement of Paris to demand the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, as indicated by Samuel Lejoyeux, president of the UEJF. “ The primary interest of this gathering is obviously to raise public awareness and bring the issue of hostages back to the forefront. That what happened on October 7 was not an act of resistance on the part of Hamas, it was an act of terrorism. It is an act which attacked civilians, especially babies. There are babies as young as a few months old who are still being held by a terrorist organization today. »
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