Protesters mark Nakba with a trip to Downing St
Sunday 16 May 2010
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Hundreds of demonstrators demanding justice for the Palestinian people gathered outside Downing Street on Saturday, in the first rally outside the Prime Minister's residence since David Cameron moved in last week. Campaigners delivered a letter to Mr Cameron demanding tougher measures to achieve Israel's compliance with international law. The document was read aloud outside the gates of Downing Street by actor and comedian Alexei Sayle.
The rally was organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Campaign, CND and the British Muslim Initiative to commemorate the 1948 Nakba - "catastrophe" - when over 700,000 Palestinians were expelled from their land to create the state of Israel.
PSC chairman Hugh Lanning said: "We want to hold this new government to account on international law and we want the Lib Dems to fulfil the pledges they made to us before the election on fighting for the human rights of Palestinians." Labour MP Andy Slaughter challenged the new government to "take a fresh approach" to the Palestinian question.
More than 40 leading figures, including MPs Sir Gerald Kaufman and Jeremy Corbyn and film director Ken Loach signed the letter to the PM.
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