On Saturday, 2 September, during the afternoon, CAPJPO-EuroPalestine organized a rally at the Fontaine des Innocents in Paris in support of the Palestinian resistance, as it confronts the intensification of colonial violence throughout occupied Palestine, including the Palestinian prisoners’ movement. For several hours, many people took part in this dynamic mass gathering, including activists from CAPJPO-EuroPalestine, IJAN (International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network) and Samidoun Paris Banlieue.
🇵🇸 En direct de la Fontaine des Innocents à Paris, rassemblement organisé par @Europalestine1 en soutien à la résistance palestinienne et pour exiger la libération immédiate des prisonniers palestiniens, dont Georges Abdallah.#FreePalestine #FreeThemAll #FreeGeorgesAbdallah pic.twitter.com/ZBOkPpOPpp
— Samidoun Paris Banlieue (@SamidounPB) September 2, 2023
During various speeches, the anti-colonialist activists denounced Zionist crimes as well as the complicity of the Western imperialist powers, as well as that of the Palestinian Authority and the Arab reactionary regimes. In particular, the president of CAPJPO-EuroPalestine, Olivia Zémor, stressed the importance of mobilizing in support of the Palestinian people and their resistance while the crowd chanted, “Long live the resistance of the Palestinian people.” In addition, the rally was an opportunity to call upon passers-by to join the international campaign to boycott Israel and companies complicit in colonialism, such as the sports equipment manufacturer Puma, which is the sponsor of theIsrael Football Association.
A member of Samidoun Paris Banlieue spoke about the importance of solidarity with all 5,100 Palestinian prisoners and in particular the 4 hunger strikers who are currently putting their bodies and their lives at risk for their freedom and that of their people. The text of the speech was as follows:
Hello everyone, thank you EuroPalestine for the invitation to speak at this gathering. I will speak on behalf of Samidoun which is an international network of solidarity with Palestinian prisoners.
Today, 5,100 men, women and children are imprisoned by the Israeli occupation, including 1,200 in administrative detention, that is, imprisonment without charge or trial. Among them, four detainees are on hunger strike against their imprisonment but also against the punitive measures of the prison administration: Khaled Fasfous, Sultan Khallouf, Abdel Rahman Baraqa and the Palestinian leader Maher Al Akhras. The Zionist state is doing everything to make the struggle of these prisoners invisible as it continues its policy of medical negligence which cost the life of the martyr Khader Adnan on 2 May, when he was on his 86th day of hunger strike.
Walid Daqqah is also threatened by this medical negligence. In detention since 1987, this freedom fighter and writer is seriously ill and in critical condition. The struggle for his liberation is urgently needed!
These detainees confront the colonial state by putting their health, their bodies and their lives at stake for justice. It is essential to support them for what they are: resistance fighters! We must stand by their side in their anti-colonial struggle!
We would like to conclude by expressing our most sincere solidarity with all the prisoners of the Palestinian cause who are imprisoned in Europe. In England, several Palestine Action activists, in the Netherlands the Palestinian organizer Amin Abu Rashed, and finally in France, the Lebanese communist Georges Abdallah. Let’s continue to support them as they support Palestine and its resistance!
Join us on 21 October in Lannemezan to demand the immediate release of Georges Abdallah and all Palestinian prisoners!
Glory to the Palestinian resistance!
Glory to the martyrs!
Freedom for Georges Abdallah and all Palestinian prisoners!
Algeria has won, Vietnam has won
And Palestine will defeat colonialism and imperialism insha’Allah
Nous avons également souligné notre solidarité avec les prisonniers de la cause palestinienne emprisonné en Europe, comme des militants de @Pal_action en 🇬🇧, Amin Abu Rashed au 🇳🇱 et bien sûr Georges Abdallah en 🇨🇵 !#Free_Amin #FreeGeorgesAbdallah #FreeTheActionists pic.twitter.com/PlP086Q3Jk
— Samidoun Paris Banlieue (@SamidounPB) September 5, 2023
The rally ended with the distribution of numerous leaflets, as passers-by browsed the exhibitions and stands set up by the organizers. Samidoun extends its thanks to CAPJPO-Europalestine for organizing this gathering.
Samidoun Paris Banlieue extended this day of solidarity by holding a press table during a new screening of the film “ALAM” which was organized at the Cinéma Le Luxy in Ivry in the presence of the director Firas Khoury and in partnership with the Ciné-Palestine Festival. It was an opportunity to discuss the situation in the Zionist jails and to highlight the struggle waged by prisoners such as Georges Abdallah, Maher Al-Akhras and Walid Daqqah.
🎬 Aujourd’hui au cinéma Le Luxy à Ivry, nous sommes présents à la projection du film ALAM. Cette soirée organisée en partenariat avec le Festival @cinepalestine sera suivie d’une rencontre avec le réalisateur Firas Khoury et d’un buffet palestinien. pic.twitter.com/6rqrQ41o0W
— Samidoun Paris Banlieue (@SamidounPB) September 2, 2023
Events like this show once again that solidarity with the Palestinian cause is more alive than ever! Do not forget to follow Samidoun Paris Banlieue on our social networks to participate in our activities and find all of our actions and mobilizations (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) or contact us by email at parisbanlieue@samidoun.net.
