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'Until we have what we all hope for' - Thousands join UN Palestine Solidarity Day rally in Madrid, urge govt to cut ties with Israel

'Until we have what we all hope for' - Thousands join UN Palestine Solidarity Day rally in Madrid, urge govt to cut ties with Israel

"Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Madrid on Saturday to commemorate the UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Footage shows demonstrators marching with flags and signs demanding that the Spanish government sever its ties with Israel and condemning the war in Gaza. Afterwards, police were mobilised to disperse the crowd. Protesters particularly denounced Madrid's position in settling the conflict, accusing the authorities of using it as 'propaganda politics'. "It is amazing how the Socialist Party (PSOE) has disappeared from the mobilisations, disappeared from the demands, and disappeared even from remembering what is happening in Palestine. We find it an absolute shame that the suffering of a people has been used politically and then abandoned," a rally participant noted. "The Spanish Government has no independence; it doesn't exercise it. It depends totally on the position of NATO, the EU, and therefore, the United States. It has made some gestures, partly out of self-interest because of its electoral base," another respondent claimed. They also criticised the peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump in September, as fighting in the enclave continued to take place after the deal was agreed upon by both Israel and Hamas. "The Americans haven't learnt from Vietnam. They are 'Vietnamising' us Palestinians," expressed a protester born in Palestine, adding that Israel is a "genocidal entity composed of mercenaries from all over the world." The rally, led by Palestine organisations in Spain, was attended by up to 500,000 people, according to organisers, while police estimated the number to be around 92,000. Pro-Palestine rallies also took place in multiple cities across Spain, such as Barcelona, Logrono, and Santander, among others. Back in 1977, the UN General Assembly called for the annual observance of 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. "