riday November 1st was Palestine National Day and the Australian Palestinian Advocacy Network (APAN), the main organization lobbying for the Palestinian cause in Melbourne had received a $25K grant from the Victorian government to honour Palestinian culture and heritage in what they said would be a profound act of resilience and resistance. Their supporters were exhorted to come to Federation Square in Melbourne to honour the rich history of Palestine and the unbreakable spirit of the Palestinian people.
I had chosen to visit Federation Square to see if APAN were adhering to the requirement that their event not be political. Aside from one of the participants proclaiming over a loudspeaker the antisemitic catch-cry ‘Palestine will be free from the river to the sea’ the atmosphere was quite different from what one sees at the weekly protest rallies that have been taking place ever since the atrocities of Oct 7th last year.
I decided to approach some of the attendees to see what they could tell me about the significance of Palestine National Day.
Listen to some of the remarks that were made in response to my questioning that reveal an appalling ignorance amongst those who support the Palestinian cause. [Apologies for the quality of some of the audio – listen closely.]