Stockholm witnesses massive demonstration condemning aggression against Gaza and Lebanon

The Swedish capital, Stockholm, witnessed on Saturday hundreds of demonstrators taking part in a massive march through the streets, condemning the ongoing war of annihilation and military aggression launched by the Israeli occupation army against the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. This event came in response to calls launched by Swedish civil society organizations, where participants gathered in the famous Odenplan square to raise their voices against international silence regarding the crimes committed against civilians.

Protesters held up banners and photos documenting the targeting of children and the bombing of schools and hospitals in Gaza, expressing their categorical rejection of the expansion of the conflict to include Lebanese territories. The demonstrators also demanded that the Swedish government immediately halt all sales of weapons and military equipment directed to the occupying state, considering that the continuation of this cooperation contributes to prolonging human suffering in the region.

In a related context, Swedish activist Aydin Amir Hashemi affirmed in statements to media sources that the occupation derives its ability to continue military operations from the logistical and political support provided by Western capitals. Hashemi pointed out that there are systematic attempts within the European Union and the United States to suppress solidarity movements with Palestine, and in some American states, it has reached the point of considering boycotting or criticism a crime punishable by law.

The activist stressed that activists in Sweden will not allow the passage of laws that restrict freedom of expression or prevent solidarity with just causes, despite the pressures, threats, and hate speech they face in their workplaces. He explained that pressures and blackmail will not deter those in solidarity from continuing their peaceful activities aimed at revealing the facts and supporting the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and protecting civilians from the war machine.

On the ground, the demonstration coincided with the announcement by the Lebanese Ministry of Health that the death toll from the Israeli aggression since last October has risen to more than 3,756 martyrs and thousands injured. Medical reports indicated that dozens of martyrs and injured were recorded during the past forty-eight hours, reflecting a dangerous escalation in the pace of attacks targeting Lebanese villages and towns on a daily basis.

The occupying state would not have been able to carry out these operations against Palestinians without the logistical support and moral and legal cover provided by Western countries.