Bangkokians rise in solidarity with Palestine in Sunday protest

More than 60 people participated in the rally organised by THAI for Palestine, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) Thailand and Socialist Thai. The protesters also brought attention to Nakba Day or the day of “catastrophe” when thousands of Palestinians were displaced permanently at the start of the Arab-Israeli war on May 15, 1948.

The group first gathered outside the British embassy to protest against the 1926 Balfour Declaration in which Britain supported “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people”. The protesters said they believe the ongoing conflict and colonialism are interlinked.

The group then headed to the German embassy, where they accused Germany of having a hand in the ongoing conflict on Palestinian territory, including actions during Nakba and the suppression of the Palestine liberation movement.

A 34-year-old German national living in Thailand delivered a speech outside the German embassy, saying: “This is the embassy of apartheid and genocide and today I am deeply embarrassed to be a citizen of this country. The German government is actually one of the staunchest supporters of Zionist regimes worldwide. Germany is actually proud of their deep involvement in the Zionist project, which has transformed Palestine into a racially segregated dystopia.”

The group’s next stop was the United States embassy, where they chanted slogans against the support and weapons Washington is providing to Israel and its veto of a recent ceasefire resolution at the UN Security Council. It also highlighted the clash between US police and pro-Palestine student protesters.

Participating in the protest outside the US embassy, a 34-year-old American based in Thailand said: “The United States has historically positioned itself as a beacon of democracy and leader of global freedom. However, we know the reality today could not be more different. Instead of upholding the principles of democracy, justice and human rights, the United States has become a democracy in name only.”

The man, who identified himself only as John, went on to say: “The world has now seen the real face of the United States. A government that supports world trade, ethical and human rights violations. Its support for the Israeli government and the genocide against Palestinians and its protection of war crimes and violations of UN resolutions tarnished the image of the US and the West on the international stage.”

A 39-year-old South African protester going by the name Kumi, told The Nation: “I think this is a genocide that affects the entire world, and I don’t think it’s about which part of the world we’re in. I think this is a global issue … because if we let this happen somewhere, anywhere in the world, it means it can happen everywhere in the world … I think it [the protest on Sunday] will help spread awareness about the subject so people can understand better what exactly is happening … Also, I think that seeing people rising against it will also make the government think about the decisions that have been made and what they mean. This is not a time when you can sit on the fence and say, I’m neither on this side nor that.”