London - Saba:
Tens of thousands demonstrated in the British capital, London, demanding an end to Israel's attacks on Palestinians and Iran.
The demonstrators gathered in Russell Square on Saturday evening and demanded that the British government halt arms sales to Israel.
The demonstration was called for by civil society organizations, including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, Friends of Al-Aqsa, and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
The demonstration turned into a march toward Downing Street, where the British Prime Minister's office is located.
The demonstrators chanted slogans such as "Freedom for Palestine," "Immediate ceasefire," "Hands off Gaza, hands off Iran," and "Keir Starmer (British Prime Minister), you cannot hide. We will prosecute you for genocide."
In her speech, British MP Apsana Begum said that "Israel is killing the people of Gaza while they wait for aid."
She stated that "attacks have escalated in Gaza and the West Bank since Israel's aggression against Iran."
She said, "Israeli attacks on Gaza, the West Bank, Iran, Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon are making the situation more dangerous. Israel, Britain's ally, is committing genocide."
Despite repeated UN condemnations of Israel, Begum indicated that the British government is turning a blind eye to Israel's human rights violations.
Former Scottish First Minister Humza Yusuf, in his speech at the event, referred to the march in which 1.5 million people participated in London nearly 20 years ago to reject the Iraq War.
Yusuf called on Britain not to side with Israel against Iran, saying, "What we said then to former Prime Minister Tony Blair, we say now to Keir Starmer: You are not doing this in our name." Don't send our people to war for your political agenda."
Yousef rejected accusations that opponents of Israeli policies are anti-Semitic or supportive of Hamas, saying, "Wanting children not to be killed does not make you anti-Semitic. Demanding aid for two million people doesn't make you anti-Semitic, it makes you human.
Concluding his remarks, Yousef called on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to recognize the State of Palestine.
Since October 7, 2023, the enemy has been waging a genocidal crime in Gaza, including killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, ignoring all international appeals and orders from the International Court of Justice to stop it.
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