On Sunday, climate activists held a peaceful protest at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to express their support for the Palestinians in Gaza and to call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
The Peaceful Protest at COP28 Calls for a Ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas War
Nearly 100 activists gathered on Sunday to demand an end to the ongoing violence in Gaza, following six weeks of the Hamas invasion of Israel on October 7.
Flags of watermelon – a symbol for Palestinians – and various banners calling for a ceasefire and climate justice were displayed at the protest site.
The activists also read the names of the hundreds killed by Israeli forces. The atmosphere around the site was heavy, with many onlookers and activists crying as the seemingly endless list of names was read aloud.
Michael Polland, an Australian climate justice activist in Dubai for the conference, told “English Al Arabiya” that these protests can be effective, especially since it witnesses one of the first major events where world leaders gather following the outbreak of the war in Gaza.
Polland, who wore a Palestinian scarf in solidarity, said, “There is an urgent need to push for a ceasefire. So, I believe that anywhere world leaders gather, there will be pressure at this time, but especially here where there is a struggle for climate justice and the protection of indigenous peoples and resistance to the extractive global system that has caused this crisis.”
The COP28 Platform as a Space for Activists’ Voices
Kavita Naidu from Fiji, representing the women and gender community and the climate action network at COP28, said there is no better place than COP28 right now as a platform for activists’ voices.
The climate activist and international human rights lawyer told “English Al Arabiya” at the protest site: “We cannot forget what is happening in Palestine while we continue to do all the other important work that needs to be done at the same time, because all injustices are ultimately connected.”
A Designated Space for Protest
The protests were held in the blue zone of COP28, which is governed by United Nations law, while the green zone is subject to UAE law.
The COP28 organizers and the United Nations Secretariat had a prior bilateral agreement that defined the legal basis for holding COP28 in Dubai. They stated, “There will be space for climate activists to gather peacefully and amplify their voices.”
Salam Al-Yousef, a 19-year-old climate activist of Palestinian origin, stood at the front in solidarity, holding a banner and chanting: “I’m 19 years old and I don’t think I’m too young to be an activist and participate in protests for two reasons.” Al-Yousef, speaking to “English Al Arabiya,” said: “First, we need to hear from young people. Young people make up half the global population. So, we need to have a voice.”
“Secondly, 19 cannot be too young to protest if people younger than that are dying.”
The recent protest on Sunday adds to the growing list of demonstrations related to shared global issues – from fossil fuel emissions to the war in Gaza. COP28 saw no violent marches or protests.
Earlier on Sunday, Agence France-Presse reported that twelve protesters held a banner calling for a ceasefire, leading to a brief discussion between Israeli security from a booth at the site and the UN police guarding the blue zone.
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