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By Nihal Zaroug.
Tripoli, 20 November:
Libyans are continuing to display solidarity with Palestine over Israel’s attacks on Gaza. At the onset of . . .[restrict]recent hostilities, activists in Tripoli quickly organised a rally after mid-day prayers last Friday, which drew a crowd of more than 400. The rally was attended by political figures, such as Ummah Al-Wast Party leader Sami Al-Saadi, Hisham Kreskshi from Tripoli’s local council. Mohamed Sawan, head of the Justice and Construction Party was also present. During a meeting held last week, the party announced its “full solidarity with our brothers in Gaza”.
Meanwhile, yesterday in Benghazi, a vigil to denounce the Israeli aggression was organised in the Maydan Al-Hurriya. The protest brought together Libyan activists and members of the Palestinian community living in the city. In a show of fraternity, Libya and Palestine’s flags were held side by side, as protesters shouted slogans of sympathy and demanded relief for their “brothers in Gaza”. Similar to the rally in Tripoli, the Benghazi vigil was attended by members of the local council and local imams.
Plans for the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, on 29 November are underway.
Libya’s government has strongly condemned the attack on Gaza. In a statement released on Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “These criminal attacks which resulted in the killing and wounding of dozens of the Palestinian people” challenged the will of the international community and defied passed resolutions on Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The General National Congress (GNC), issued a separate statement in which it denounced “the international silence and complacency” towards the Israeli state. The GNC affirmed its willingness to support the “resistance of our brothers in Gaza”, and called on the international community and human rights groups to “stand firm against this blatant aggression on the Palestinian people”.
Furthermore, the GNC requested Libya’s government take steps to support the Palestinian cause internationally and to call upon the UN Security Council to convene and take a decisive stand to end the assaults on Gaza.
Libya will, like Egypt and Tunisia, shortly send a delegation to Gaza. Libyan legislators held a meeting yesterday to formalise plans for its delegation, which will be chaired by the second vice-president of the GNC, Saleh Al-Mkhozom. The congressmen will travel to Palestine with humanitarian supplies, doctors and medical aid. A departure date has yet to be set. [/restrict]
