Voices for Gaza: Australian Civil Society's Stand Against Gaza Violence - Rawan Arraf at the UN

In her address at the 2024 Conference of CSOs working on the Question on Palestine organized by the UN Palestinian Rights Committee (3 April 2024), Rawan Arraf highlighted the robust response from Australian civil society to the severe military assault on Gaza. She noted that the response was "multifaceted and widespread," driven by a strong public demand for a permanent ceasefire. This was evident in the large anti-war protests, described as "the largest anti-war movement in Australia since the war against Iraq." Arraf emphasized the immediate call from over 100 organizations for a ceasefire, which contrasted sharply with the Australian Parliament's silence on Israel's attacks, which were "manifestly in violation of international law."

Arraf also detailed the significant challenges faced by civil society, including "anti-Palestinian racism" and attempts by right-wing groups to derail focus from the violence in Gaza. Despite this, there was strong support for Palestinians arriving from Gaza, with local communities and professional groups organizing various forms of support and advocacy. She criticized the Australian government's delayed and insufficient response to the ICJ's order on Gaza, calling for more decisive actions, including an arms embargo and diplomatic sanctions against Israel.

More details: https://www.un.org/unispal/conference...

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