Thousands took to the streets in Nigeria Kenya and South Africa on Friday in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian struggle against Israeli occupation. The protests were part of the worldwide Quds Day protests which take place on the last Friday of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadaan.
In Nigeria demonstrations took place in Yobe State Katsina and Sokoto State while hundreds gathered at the National mosque in the capital Abuja. Protesters called on Israel to end its occupation of Palestine and criticized Muhammadu Buhari’s normalization of ties with Israel. The Nigerian government has invited Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu to attend Democracy Day celebrations on June 12. If Netanyahu were to honor the invitation it would be the first time in 61 years that an Israeli prime minister set foot on Nigerian soil. According to Israel’s ambassador to Nigeria Shimon Ben-Shosan Israel also wants Buhari to visit Israel.
In Mombasa Kenyans lambasted the Trump administration’s “Deal of the Century” and called it an imperialist deal. “Palestine is not for sale” was the message of the Kenya Palestine Solidarity Movement and its supporters. Smaller protests were also held in the capital Nairobi.
In Johannesburg South African protesters gathered at the Johannesburg City Council to call on the City Council to adopt a motion to rename Sandton Drive after Palestinian resistance icon Leila Khaled. According to spokesperson Alex Mdakane a motion to rename the road was brought to council by the ANC in November 2018 which passed with a majority. “To date however the Democratic Alliance-led executive under Mayor Herman Mashaba is preventing the implementation of this street name change” explained Mdakane. Protest actions were also held in Cape Town.
– Source: Afro-Palestine Newswire Service
