The people of Iceland are outraged by Israel’s atrocities in Gaza, which have taken the lives of tens of thousands of civilians over the past two years. Millions more now face the threat of famine. The Icelandic government must immediately take action against Israel’s genocide in Palestine.
This is the demand of the protest under the banner Nation Against Genocide, which will take place in four locations across the country on Saturday, 6 September.
The rallies, held in Reykjavík, Ísafjörður, Akureyri, and Egilsstaðir, are organised by the coalition Solidarity with Palestine. The coalition is made up of numerous trade unions, workers’ organisations, civil society and humanitarian groups, with Efling among them.
The coalition demands that the Icelandic government act without delay and press other nations to stop Israel’s crimes in Palestine. The international community has completely failed in this duty, and Iceland is no exception. Enough is enough.
International solidarity must be built around direct, coordinated measures to compel Israel to comply with international law, end its genocide against the Palestinian people, and recognise their right to their land and to life. The International Court of Justice has equated Israel’s conduct with genocide and declared its occupation of Palestinian land illegal. It can no longer be tolerated that Israel defies international law and UN resolutions.
Efling calls on its members and on the public at large to gather at the Nation Against Genocide rally on Saturday, 6 September, to send a clear message to the Alþingi, the Government of Iceland, and the international community: direct action must be taken against Israel to compel the state to obey international law.
The time for statements and evasions is over; the time for action has come!
