Exhibitions, caravans and days of struggle

Exhibitions, caravans and days of struggle

Exhibitions, caravans and days of struggle: this is how rural Spain is organised against Israel's genocide in Gaza

Hundreds of people mobilise every weekend across the country to raise awareness in rural areas about the Palestinian conflict.
They are not a large crowd, nor do they occupy the front pages of newspapers. Nor do they represent hours of debate in morning talk shows. But one thing is clear: they are not going to remain silent in the face of the genocide that Israel is perpetrating in Gaza.



For several years, and especially since the start of the Israeli military invasion of the Strip in October 2023, residents of different municipalities in rural Spain have joined forces to form local and regional platforms for Palestine. Their objective is clear: to put pressure on the Spanish government to abandon the arms trade with Israel and to give voice to the testimonies and experiences of the victims of the occupation.
The wear and tear, however, is becoming increasingly evident. Keeping the pulse on the street for so long becomes a challenge when the death tolls multiply week by week, stripped of faces and names. What was once a human tragedy becomes just another number on a tireless counter that never stops rising. For those who resist, the greatest challenge remains remembering that behind each number there is a story, a family, an injustice, and that their struggle cannot be forgotten.

This past weekend, thousands of people across Spain responded to the call of BDS and Rescop to organize a "human wave" of solidarity against the Israeli aggression against Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territories, coinciding with the anniversary of the attacks of October 7 and the genocide in Gaza.
An echo for Palestine in the Gredos summits

Sunday, September 22. It is 11 a.m. in Arenas de San Pedro, a small town in Ciego de Ávila with just over 6,000 inhabitants. The ringing of the local church bells marks the hour and with it the start of the rally for the liberation of Palestine. Every weekend since February, the Platform of Tiétar and La Vera for Palestine has called the residents of the region to the Plaza del Castillo to ask for a ceasefire in Gaza and the complete breaking of economic and diplomatic relations with Israel.

At the microphone, Ana and Edu, veterans in social movements and organizers of the platform, review the devastating situation that the Gazan population is experiencing and invite reflection on the responsibility of European countries in maintaining, financing and legitimizing the Israeli occupation.

In her speech, Ana highlights the constant attacks by the Israeli army and settlers on Palestinian farmers in the West Bank, in an obvious nod to the rural world and its neighbors. However, emotion overwhelms her when she points out the suffering of children in the Strip, where more than 14,000 have already lost their lives at the hands of Israel. The microphone is open to any neighbour who wants to speak.

The Platform of Tiétar and La Vera with Palestine has decided to maintain its independence without the support of political parties. However, they recognise the support of parties such as Izquierda Unida and Podemos, who have given them the sound equipment they use every Sunday. All expenses, from materials to activities, are covered from their pockets and through a solidarity pot they place every week at their rallies in front of the castle. In addition, they hope to raise money to finance upcoming actions by selling postcards with drawings inspired by the drama in the Middle East.
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