By Amadou Jadama
Hundreds of Gambians took to the streets yesterday to protest against the recent attacks on Palestinians by the Israelis and called on The Gambia government to initiate a global campaign against Tel Aviv as it did against Yangoon.
The protesters bearing placards #FreePalestine marched from Churchill’s Town to Talinding Buffer Zone park in Serekunda.
Alhaji Muhamadou Camara of Bundungka Kunda, one of the initiators of the protest march, told The Standard: “We the Gambian citizens are concerned with the mass murder of Palestinians including many women and children by Israeli forces and even Israeli citizens. The Gambia government took the noble action of standing for Rohingya Muslims in Burma. Our message to our government is, let them stand up for the Palestinians too.
“What is happening against the Palestinians is a genocide. The Gambia should add its voice to the global chorus around the world for Israel to stop its mass murder in Palestine. Israel must stop the killings and gross human rights violations perpetrated against Palestinians on a daily basis.”
Mr Camara expressed his frustration with the UN saying the world body is a toothless bulldog when it comes to dealing with Israel. “We do not understand what the UN is doing because as far as we are concerned, we no longer see the significance of the UN as far as ensuring peace for people in the world, avoiding genocide and preventing gross human rights abuse with impunity, is concerned. We are very disappointed with the UN Security Council, because 238 innocent people, many of them women and children, were killed by the racist and Zionist government of Benjamin Netanyahu, and nothing is done about it, “he charged.
Mr Camara called on UN Security Council to live up to its billing and swiftly act to ensure that the lives and properties of Palestinians and even the Israelis, are protected. “We want them to do more and we know that they can do better, so let them come out and solve the Palestinian and Israeli crisis, once and for all,” he pleaded.
Gambians from all walks of life and from different parts of the country took part in the protest.
