Indian Min. Flays Israelˈs ˈBrutalityˈ On Palestine, Protests Continue: Report

New Delhi, Aug 8, IRNA -- Minister for Cultural Affairs, K C Joseph Friday flayed the violent attack by Israel on the innocent people of Palestine ˈwithout any provocationˈ. Inaugurating a two-day Malayalam-Arabi International Literary Festival, under the auspices of the Kerala Sahitya Academy in Thrissur, cultural capital of South Indian state of Kerala, the minister described the brutality perpetrated by Israel ignoring the directives of the UN as ˈdespicableˈ. Joseph said the Kerala Government has expressed solidarity with the people of Palestine. Joseph expressed the hope that festivals like this would improve cultural relations with the countries to a great extent. Voicing concern over killing of large number of people, including children, in the attacks on Gaza, noted Palestinian writer and film director Liana Badr said international organisations like UN should ˈboycottˈ the aggressive Israel to establish permanent peace in her country. When apartheid was vogue in South Africa, that county was not admitted into the UN, she told reporters on the sidelines of the two-day Malayalam-Arabic International Literary festival. For establishing peace in Palestine, the international community should also boycott Israel, she said adding, Palestine should be made a full-fledged state and admitted to the international organisations like the UN. She charged that Israel had occupied 60 per cent of the land area of Palestine by subterfuge and felonies were being committed on Palestine people. Badr claimed Israel had killed more than 3,000 people, including 388 innocent children, without any kind of provocation adding people were under perpetual life threat. The 72-hour ceasefire declared now would not lead to the establishment of peace in Palestine as Israel did not believe in democracy and principle of equality, she added. Badr also delivered a lecture on ˈPalestine Literatureˈ at the literary festival. Meanwhile, Members of 22 outfits, including Manithaneya Makkal Kathci affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam, today staged a protest demonstration in Chennai, capital of another South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, against Israelˈs continuing attacks on Gaza. Protestors, who converged near the Collectorate complex on the arterial Rajaji Salai which links North and Central Chennai regions, raised slogans denouncing Israel. They accused the American Government of supporting Israel in its relentless pursuit of ˈslaughtering innocent men, women and childrenˈ and urged boycott of ˈAmerican productsˈ like Pepsi. The outrage of Indian people, irrespective of age, gender and religion, witnessed across the country since the beginning of Israeli aggression on Gazans. Under the banner of, religious organizations, civil societies, NGOs and student organization, tens of thousands of people, including women and children, from Delhi to Mumbai, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Bihar, Kashmir, etc, continued protest, outside the Israeli Embassy and Consulates, denouncing the invasion of Gaza by the Israeli forces and expressed solidarity with the defenseless Palestinians, trapped in the tiny stip of land. Carrying banners and play cards, depicting slogans against Israel, UN, US, they are drawing the attention of every passerby, against the genocide perpetrated by the Israeli Regime, encouraged by the world body’s silence and backed by the Obama administration./end