[youtube=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=S3-dSvSV4u4]
By James Martin
MORE than 100 pro-Palestinian campaigners have gathered outside Edinburgh University in a protest against Israeli military action in Gaza.
The demonstration, called ‘Stop Bombing Gaza: Ceasefire Now’, took place in the city’s Bristo Square featuring marching and chants calling for an end to Israeli military action in Gaza.
And the demonstration passed peacefully unlike many of the pro-Palestinian rallies elsewhere in Europe which have resulted in arrests.
Holding banners reading “Stop The Massacre” and “End The Siege”, students marched round Edinburgh chanting: “Occupation is a crime, free, free, Palestine”.
The students – which included representatives from the Edinburgh University Palestine Solidarity Society – concluded their march outside Holyrood.
Australian student, Yasmin Bushby, called for an end to hostilities which have left hundreds of innocent civilians dead.
She said: “I’m not going to comment on the complexities of sixty years of conflict and obviously we also want an end to the rockets damaging life in southern Israel.
“But what we want above all is an end to violence and then an attempt to try and establish peace between Israel and Gaza.”
Simon Hodge, a radio producer from Fife, joined in the protest after being unable to attend Saturday’s main rally in the city.
He said: “I felt compelled to attend because it’s too easy to say it doesn’t affect us, so we therefore don’t need to attend.
“Innocent civilians are dying and we have to stand together and ask our leaders to try and bring about pressure for a ceasefire.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think it can happen until America puts pressure on Israel to end its campaign.”
The Israeli army started its campaign to destroy the terrorist branch of Hamas in Gaza nearly three weeks ago, with around a thousand Palestinians, some of whom were innocent civilians, believed to be dead.
Around 4,000 protestors marched through Edinburgh last week, with demonstrations at the gates of the American consulate resulting in the throwing of shoes and red paint.
