A Palestinian leader has hit back at the Jewish group who tried to cancel a Gaza vigil in the city on Friday night.
A Palestinian leader has hit back at the Zionist group who tried to cancel a Gaza vigil in the city on Friday night.
Australian Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) president Nasser Mashni also vowed to continue flying Palestinian flags in Federation Square, which are understood to be flown at this time of year to celebrate Palestinian National Day.
The flags were draped on flagpoles opposite Flinders St train station while another Palestine flag was spotted hoisted alongside an Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flag across from the Transport Hotel Bar.
“They wanted to continue our division and they are committed to making us feel excluded,” he said.
“Our flags will continue to fly in Federation Square and the flags will be there next year”.
His remarks follow pro-Israel supporters lashing out after the nine flags were seen hoisted at the city landmark on Friday, in a move some have described as “abhorrent”.
Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ingrid Stitt called for a pause in hostilities for aid to be allowed into Gaza.
“Even in these challenging times we must promote peace and empathy between our diverse communities in Victoria.”
More than 500 people attended a vigil to mourn the thousands of people killed in Gaza in the Israel-Hamas war on Friday night.
Read the article by Rebecca Borg, Erin Constable and Shannon Deery in the Herald Sun.