Campaigners call for urgent action from Welsh Government on Palestinian deaths
MORE than 100 people from across Wales will gather on the steps of the Senedd on Wednesday (July 16) to take part in a solemn act of remembrance for the 20,000 children killed in Gaza since the start of Israel’s military campaign.
Beginning at 7:00am and continuing through to midnight, the event – titled Know Their Names: Action Not Words – will see participants read aloud the name of every child killed, one by one, in what organisers are calling a “collective human cry for justice.”
The action is being coordinated by Palestine Solidarity Campaign Cymru and Parents and Teachers for Palestine. They say the event is both an act of mourning and a political statement directed at Wales’s elected representatives.
“If the death of over 20,000 children is not enough for our First Minister and MSs to demand decisive action and end our complicity, I’m truly lost for words,” said Clive Haswell of PSC Cymru.
Campaigners are urging the Welsh Government to publicly acknowledge the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, support a full arms embargo on Israel, and pressure the UK Government to introduce targeted sanctions. They are also calling for devolved action to end what they describe as Welsh complicity in the conflict.
The demonstration comes in the wake of rulings by the International Court of Justice and arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court. Despite these developments, organisers say that both the UK and Welsh Governments have “remained silent,” failing to uphold their obligations under international law.
Frankie Finn of Parents and Teachers for Palestine said: “On 16 July, we’ll stand outside our national parliament to honour these children – by saying their names. Each was precious. Each was innocent. Many died horrific, painful deaths. There were so many of them. They must not be forgotten.”
The vigil will transform the Senedd’s steps into what organisers describe as “a place of testimony and truth,” turning statistics into stories by individually naming each child.
Wales has previously declared itself a ‘globally responsible nation,’ pledging to take account of its actions on the global stage. Campaigners say now is the time to live up to that promise.
The event is expected to draw broad public support from across Wales, with civil society groups, educators, parents and peace campaigners among those taking part.
