by Saed Bannoura
In partnership with Popular Committee Against the Siege (PCAS), Friends of freedom and Justice-Bilin, and Gaza On My Mind, dozens of groups worldwide held protests in solidarity with the people of Gaza on Saturday February 23rd.
Participating nations include France, UK, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Spain, Canada, USA, Russia, Romania, Scotland, Iralnd, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Morocco, Mauritania, South Africa, Algeria, Libya, Turkey, Norway, the Sudan, Egypt, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Israel, West Bank and the Gaza strip.In Ramallah, in the West Bank, a candlelight vigil was held in which participants marched through the streets holding candles, ending in the central al-Manara square in downtown Ramallah. They held Palestinian flags and chanted freedom slogans, also calling for national unity among all Palestinians.Part of the protests included switching off the lights in the evening for thirty minutes in solidarity and sympathy with the besieged people of Gaza. In the Gaza Strip, electricity has been severely rationed and there are daily blackouts due to the Israeli siege.In addition, many of the protests also included delegations to the local Israeli consulate to submit a letter on behalf of besieged Gazans.