ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: Activists of left wing political parties, student oganisations and civil society activists at a protest demonstration held here on Tuesday condemned Israeli attacks into Gaza that have killed more than 500 Palestinians.

The protest was organised by the Students Action Committee Islamabad-Rawalpindi chapter outside Islamabad-Rawalpindi Press Club camp office at Melody and also attended by the People’s Rights Movement (PRM), Awami Jamhoori Ittehad (AJI), Awami Party and Jammu Kashmir National Students Federation (JKNSF).

The protesters were holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans against killings of innocent civilians.

Speaking on the occasion, students’ leader Aalia Amirali condemned the US, EU and the ruling classes of Pakistan and other Muslim countries for their indifference to the atrocities committed by Israel.

“The blatant invasion of Gaza by the Israelis marks yet another stage in the so-called war on terror in which innocent populations all over the world have been subjected to imperialist aggression led by the United States and Israel”, she said. She said killing of ‘innocent people’ also continues in Fata and Balochistan but the so-called international community - including the United Nations - was silent to the state terrorism.

Ms Amirali said it was an open secret that the United States was the primary exporter of terror to the world as, she added, it had always supported Israel in its oppressive policy and also Pakistan's military establishment.

Amna Mawaz said it was imperative to rebut the myth that the ‘war on terror’ is a civilisational or religious war. She said a significant minority of the Palestinians was Christian and huge protests against Israel's crimes in Palestine have taken place in London and other western capitals.

She said religious forces in the Muslim world attempt to manipulate the anti-imperialist sentiments of ordinary people and project the notion of a war between Islam and ‘Kufr’, though, she added, this was a gross misrepresentation of reality. She said imperialist forces such as the US and Israel were driven only by their strategic and material interests and resistance to imperialism must transcend all religious and other parochial divisions.

She criticised the role of Muslim ruling classes in “stabbing the Palestinian people in the back”. She warned that if polarisation between the people and the rulers of the Muslim world was not arrested, the Muslim societies would eventually implode and it was difficult to predict what the outcome of such situation would be.

Workers of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf also took out a rally to protest carnage of Israeli forces in Gaza.

Speaking at the rally, local office-bearers of party termed the killings of Palestinians as genocide and criticised Muslim countries’ silence on the issue. They also demanded the world leaders to take practical measures to stop this onslaught.

They said the USA was involved in the genocide of Muslims and looting their resources on the pretext of war against terror.

PPI adds: Asma Jahangir, chairperson of the coordinating body for Independent United Nations Human Rights Experts, in a statement said the body was alarmed at the continuing violence in Gaza.

“We stress that international human rights law should be followed which imposes binding obligations on all parties in situations of armed conflict,” she said.

“We call on all parties to immediately cease all actions that result in civilian casualties, or put them at risk. Both air strikes by the Israeli government forces and rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel are resulting in inexcusable loss of life and placing the civilian populations in the affected areas in extreme danger', the statement said.

It said the use of disproportionate force by Israel and the lack of regard for the life of civilians on both sides cannot be justified by the actions of the other party.

They constitute clear violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law, she said.

“We are particularly concerned at the impact of the current violence and destruction of vital infrastructure in Gaza,” it added. “We call on all parties to immediately ensure full access to humanitarian actors and supplies and enable them to carry out their work of distributing food, treating the sick and injured, and guaranteeing the provision of essential energy and sanitation,” the statement said.

It said independent human rights monitoring, including by the various UN Special Procedures, is particularly crucial in these circumstances which result in an exceptionally broad range of human rights violations.

Our correspondent from Gilgit adds: Participants of a rally organised by the Imamia Students Organisation (ISO) on Tuesday condemned the Israeli attacks on Palestinian cities and termed it savagery.

The rally was taken out from the Arif House that passed through the Jamaat Khana Road and reached the Ittehad Chowk where it turned into a public meeting.

The rally, led by Saeedul Hasnain and divisional president Jaffar Raza, was attended by a large number of ISO activists and common citizens.

The participants holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans demanded immediate end to the ongoing atrocities in Gaza.

Speaking on the occasion, Sheikh Nasir Abbas and Didar Ali condemned the Israeli aggression and asked the international community to play an active role in halting the attacks immediately.

They urged the Muslim world to forge unity in their ranks and stand by the oppressed people of Palestine.