Home Blog Page 71

Philippines seen as ‘clear laggard’ in Asia

Pinoy Abrod
-
0
Philippines seen as ‘clear laggard’ in Asia

By Luz Wendy T. Noble, Reporter, May 25, 2021, bworldonline.com

THE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY is the “clear laggard” in Asia, as it is likely to only return to its pre-pandemic level by end-2022 due to the snail-paced vaccine rollout, Moody’s Analytics said.

The research arm of Moody’s Investors Service expects the Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) to grow by 5.3% this year, slower than the 6.3% estimate it gave in March. This is also more pessimistic than the government’s 6-7% full-year growth target.

“China, Taiwan, South Korea and Vietnam have returned to previous output levels, while Indonesia and Thailand are on track to return this year. This makes the Philippines the clear laggard in Asia,” Moody’s Analytics Senior Asia Pacific Economist Katrina Ell and Associate Economist Dave Chia said in a note on Monday.

A major drag to the Philippines’ economic recovery is the elevated number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, Moody’s Analytics said.

ASEAN economies including Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore recently saw a spike in infections, prompting governments to tighten restriction measures again.

While the average daily cases have gone down from the highs in April, the Philippines still has the second-highest number of COVID-19 infections in the region following Indonesia.

New COVID-19 cases rose by 4,973 on Monday, bringing the total to 1.18 million.

Moody’s Analytics said the decentralized healthcare system was also a major factor why the country was unable to better handle the pandemic.

“As a result, there were not consistent policies and rigorousness around contact tracing, funding, and quarantine measures for those infected and their close contacts,” Moody’s Analytics said.

The sluggish pace of the country’s mass vaccination campaign is hindering its recovery prospects, amid supply constraints and vaccine hesitancy.

“[T]here is vaccine hesitancy in the Philippines due to misinformation and lasting scars from the 2016 dengue fever vaccine that put children’s health at risk,” Moody’s Analytics said, referring to the Dengvaxia controversy.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire said on Monday that about 4 million vaccine doses have been administered in the country.

Meanwhile, around 950,000 individuals have completed two COVID-19 doses. This is only equivalent to 0.88% of the population being fully vaccinated, based on data from the Johns Hopkins University.

“This [slow vaccination pace] is problematic, because it means the Philippines remains vulnerable to continued local infection spikes, inhibiting the economic recovery as it is assumed the government will reintroduce strict lockdowns to contain further infections,” Moody’s Analytics said.

The government targets to inoculate as many as 70 million Filipinos by end-November, focusing mainly on Metro Manila and surrounding provinces that are deemed to be high risk areas for the virus spread.

The economy’s uncertain recovery will likely heighten inequality.

“The sluggish economic recovery paired with relatively strict lockdown measures has increased inequality. Those in higher-paying jobs tend to be office workers, and they have been able to transition to working from home, while lower-income workers have not had that option,” it said.

The country’s unemployment rate as of March stood at 7.1%, representing about 4.187 million unemployed Filipinos, based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. It reached a record-high 17.6% in April last year at the height of the lockdown.

Last year, the economy shrank by a record 9.6% due to the impact of the prolonged lockdown.

Drug War Victim Finds Forgiveness Through Community Pantry

Pinoy Abrod
-
0
Drug War Victim Finds Forgiveness Through Community Pantry

Marc Jayson Cayabyab, May 24, 2021, OneNews.ph

A former drug user saw the community pantry as an opportunity to heal his wounds and move forward by helping others in need.

Jay (not his real name), a teenager who was arrested in 2019 on charges of illegal drug possession, used to feel angry with the police who arrested and planted marijuana on him when he was with his group of friends in Caloocan City.

Admitting that he used to smoke weed, Jay, 19, said it was actually not him who had possession of the marijuana leaves during his arrest in Bagong Barrio.

It was his friend who kept the illegal substance in his pocket, but to implicate them in the case, the policemen divided the confiscated leaves among Jay and his friends to make it appear they all possessed weed.

Jay pleaded guilty during a plea bargaining agreement that same year and was ordered by a trial court judge to undergo a drug rehabilitation program called Community Assisted Rehabilitation and Recovery of Out-patient Training System, which is hosted by the Caloocan City Anti-Drug Abuse Council ( CADAC) and the Catholic Church.

Through the program, Jay said he was able to process his anger and find a way to forgive himself for his drug use as well as perpetrators of his arrest.

According to Jay, the arresting officers did not return his cell phone, where he stored photos of his friends and family members.

What added to his healing was his decision to volunteer for a community pantry in Caloocan set up by the CADAC on April 26.

Jay saw the pantry as an opportunity to heal his wounds and move forward by helping others in need.

He said he feels the “good vibes” every time he is greeted with warm smiles by the people who lined up and received the food items from their pantry.

Jay admitted that in the past, people would not express gratitude to him. But now, the gratefulness even comes with a smile and it makes him feel good.

“Dati po kasi, hindi ako nakakatanggap ng pasasalamat. Samantala ngayon, may magpasalamat lang po, nakangiti na po ako agad. Nakangiti lang silang nagpapasalamat, nakakagaan po sa loob ‘yun,” Jay said in an interview with The Philippine STAR on May 2.

18 Million Posts On FB, IG Removed For COVID Misinformation

Pinoy Abrod
-
0
18 Million Posts On FB, IG Removed For COVID Misinformation

Janvic Mateo, May 21, 2021, OneNews.ph

The 18 million pieces of content from Facebook and Instagram from all over the world were taken down for violating policies on COVID-19-related misinformation and harm.

More than 18 million pieces of content featuring false information about COVID-19 have been taken down from Facebook and Instagram since the start of the pandemic last year.

“From the start of the pandemic to April 2021, we removed more than 18 million pieces of content from Facebook and Instagram globally for violating our policies on COVID-19-related misinformation and harm,” Guy Rosen, Facebook’s vice president for integrity, said in a blog post on Wednesday, May 19.

“COVID-19 continues to be a major public health issue, and we are committed to helping people get authoritative information, including vaccine information… We’re also working to in-crease vaccine acceptance and combat vaccine misinformation,” he added.

Facebook, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, did not provide specific details on the content that have been removed for violating its policies on COVID-19.

The development was included in the platform’s latest community standards enforcement report, which provided details on the number of violations that were flagged in the first quarter of 2021.

Earlier, Facebook said it had strengthened its efforts to combat misinformation about the pandemic by removing COVID-19 content “that contributes to the risk of real-world harm” such as those that increase the likelihood of exposure to or transmission of the virus or having adverse effects on the public health system’s ability to cope with the pandemic.

“Under our Community Standards, we remove misinformation when public health authorities conclude that the information is false and likely to contribute to imminent violence or physical harm,” it said.

“The goal of this policy is to reduce health harm to people, while also allowing people to discuss, debate and share their personal experiences, opinions and news related to the COVID-19 pandemic,” it added.

Facebook has identified specific claims that it takes down from its platforms for violation of its rules, such as those that deny the existence or downplay the severity of pandemic, guarantee cures or prevention methods or discourage good health practices.

It also covers misinformation and debunked claims about the vaccines, such as those saying that these are dangerous or not effective in preventing the disease they are meant to protect against.

Facebook also removes claims that can contribute to physical harm by inaccurately representing the access to or availability of public health infrastructure, as well as those that public health authorities say could lead to negative outcomes.

“For the duration of the COVID public health emergency, we remove content that repeats other false health information, primarily about vaccines, that are widely debunked by leading health organizations such as the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” the company said.

“The goal of this policy is to combat misinformation about vaccinations and diseases, which if believed could result in reduced vaccinations and harm public health and safety,” it added.

Facebook said pages, groups, profiles and Instagram accounts that repeatedly post misinformation or coordinate harm related to COVID-19, vaccines and health may face restrictions such as reduced distribution, removal from recommendations or removal from the site.

Last month, Facebook and other leading technology companies, Google, TikTok and Twitter partnered with the Department of Health (DOH) in a new campaign to address misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines.

Called #ChecktheFAQs, the campaign aims to encourage the public to fact-check vaccine information that they come across on different online platforms.

Facebook, Google, TikTok and Twitter all committed to support and build awareness about the initiative, which includes a new page on the DOH website (https://doh.gov.ph/faqs/vaccines) where Filipinos can access accurate information about COVID-19 vaccines.

The page provides answers to the frequently asked questions about the vaccines, such as their availability and possible side effects.

It also directs users to additional resources, such as details about the different COVID-19 vaccines and how they are different from each other.

Unlike ABS-CBN, franchise bid of water firms that peeved Duterte win House panel’s swift approval

Pinoy Abrod
-
0
Unlike ABS-CBN, franchise bid of water firms that peeved Duterte win House panel’s swift approval

Published May 24, 2021, Manila Bulletin Online

by Ben Rosario

What’s the difference between the legislative franchise applications of ABS-CBN network and Metro Manila’s two water concessionaires which all have gotten the goat of President Rodrigo Duterte? Aside from the alleged railroading approval of the franchise applications of Maynilad Water Services and the Manila Water Corporation during the first hearing on Monday, May 24, there are three other glaring issues that sets the ABS-CBN franchise bid apart from the two water firms, said Deputy Speaker and Buhay Partylist Rep. Lito Atienza and Deputy Minority and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate.

First, the House panel did not reveal to the media the scheduled hearings of the franchise applications of Manila Water Corporation and the Maynilad Water Services Inc., unlike the well-publicized ABS-CBN franchise proceedings last year.

Reporters covering the Lower House beat were quick to note that unlike all committee hearings conducted Monday, it is only the legislative franchise hearings on the water firms operated by the Ayala and the Pangilinan groups that were not published in the legislative chamber’s official website.

Another difference between the ABS-CBN and the concessionaire’s legislative franchise is the fact that the former had to pass through weeks of hearing, unlike the much-criticized water distributors whose franchise applications were swiftly voted upon on the first day of legislative proceedings.

Further, government agencies concerned about the ABS-CBN franchise applications were present in full force during the network’s hearings last year.

At the Maynilad and MWC franchise proceedings, officials from the Department of Finance, Department of Justice and even the Office of the President were either not present or not invited.

The House panel voted to approve the two franchise applications notwithstanding the alleged strong objection registered by the Manila Waterworks Sewerage System Corporate Office, the government appointed regulatory agency overseeing the operations of the two private corporations. Atienza appealed to his colleagues not to “rush” the passage of the legislative franchise applications of Maynilad and MWC.

“I had hoped that the committee chairman and my colleagues would listen to reason and heed the people’s demand for transparency. But they did not. They railroaded the two franchises,” he said.

Committee chairman and Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez has yet to respond to the media’s request for his side on the controversy.

Atienza said the two water concessionaires have yet to fully explain to the public how it has spent the billions of pesos they were able to collect in “environmental fees” since 1997 up to the present.

“Magkano na ang nautang nila mula sa mga foreign lending banks tulad ng Asian Development Bank at World Bank na dapat ay gagamitin para sa pagtatayo ng wastewater treatment plants para sa Metro Manila na may sovereign guarantee ng pamahalaan? (How much have they borrowed from ADB and WB that are covered with government sovereign guarantee that should have been spent in putting up water treatment plants for Metro Manila?” asked Atienza.

Meanwhile, Zarate also assailed the “swift” approval of the franchise measures.

“House Bill 9367 for Maynilad and House Bill 9313 for Manila Water were swiftly approved today by the Committee on Legislative Franchise by a vote of 23-affirmative and 2-negative for Manila Water and 19-2 for Maynilad. This happened even when the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System-Corporate Office (MWSS-CO) had raised issues on the bills, and, the amendments being proposed by the sponsors have yet to be fully discussed,”lamented Zarate.

The opposition stalwart stated: “Representatives from the Office of the President should have been invited to discuss the implications of the revised concessionaire agreements between the Duterte administration and the two (2) water concessionaires.We have yet to fully scrutinize the texts and annexes of the new deals and if they are detrimental to Filipino consumers.”

New finding: Covid-19 is airborne!

Pinoy Abrod
-
0
New finding: Covid-19 is airborne!

Philippine Daily Inquirer / May 23, 2021

Leading health institutions have acknowledged a key finding about COVID-19 that will have a major impact on health protocols and policies worldwide: that SARS-CoV-2, or the virus that causes COVID-19, is airborne.

The World Health Organization (WHO) updated its Q&A page on COVID-19 on April 30, or 15 days after the medical journal Lancet published a commentary detailing 10 reasons that support the hypothesis that COVID-19 is airborne, to note that: “Current evidence suggests that the virus spreads mainly between people who are in close contact with each other, typically within 1 metre (short-range)… The virus can also spread in poorly ventilated and/or crowded indoor settings, where people tend to spend longer periods of time. This is because aerosols remain suspended in the air or travel farther than 1 metre (long-range).”

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also changed its science brief on May 7 to reflect the latest findings. Since last year, the WHO and CDC, among others, had advised that the primary concerns for COVID-19 were droplets and surfaces, and objects. But, per the Lancet commentary: “There is consistent, strong evidence that SARS-CoV-2 spreads by airborne transmission. Although other routes can contribute, we believe that the airborne route is likely to be dominant. The public health community should act accordingly and without further delay.”

It listed the following reasons for its conclusion:

Transmission observed at superspreader events, which may be considered as the pandemic’s “primary drivers”;

Long-range transmission observed in quarantine hotels between people who did not spend time in the same room;

Asymptomatic individuals, who account for about 33 percent to 59 percent of transmission, are likely to spread the virus through speaking, which produces thousands of aerosol particles and a few large droplets supporting the airborne theory;

Transmission is higher indoors than outdoors and is substantially reduced by indoor ventilation;

Infections acquired from health care facilities have been reported despite their strict protocols such as wearing mask and PPE;

Viable SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in the air in hospital rooms or cars of infected individuals;

The virus has been found in air filters and building ducts—or locations that could be reached only by aerosols—in hospitals with COVID-19 patients;

Even caged animals have contracted the virus from other infected animals staying in separate enclosures but connected through an air duct;

No study has provided strong or consistent evidence refuting airborne transmission, while contact tracing has shown that conditions such as ventilation play a significant factor in infections;

There is limited supporting evidence that the virus can spread through other means such as objects like clothes or furniture, or through large droplets.

This new development will have to change how governments and health authorities craft policies to combat the virus. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the United States’ top infectious disease expert, said buildings would have to ensure “proper ventilation” and individuals will have to continue wearing masks, especially when indoors and among unvaccinated individuals.

In the Philippines, Dr. Rontgene Solante, head of the adult infectious diseases and tropical medicine department of the San Lazaro Hospital, stressed the need to modify health protocols, particularly in public transport as well as in offices, as employees return to work.

Experts recommend that offices upgrade their heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to improve indoor air quality; stagger work shifts; and encourage outdoor meetings. Taking the stairs is deemed safer than riding elevators which can get crowded, and if elevators can’t be avoided, talking is discouraged to avoid the aerosolization of virus particles. Clean indoor air will protect not only against COVID-19 but also other respiratory illnesses.

Among the standard health protocols, physical distancing tends to be ignored the most, which poses a major risk since “an aerosolized droplet can stay in the air longer than the [ordinary COVID-19] droplet and can reach longer than 3 feet—like 6 ft to 8 ft especially in a closed space without ventilation because of their ability to be airborne,” Solante told CNN Philippines. “If you’re in public and in an enclosed space, you’re only wearing a face mask and you’re not practicing 6-foot distancing, that’s the danger of airborne transmission.”

Policymakers and the public alike need to be aware of and to adapt to these new findings quickly, or the virus will continue to afflict more people. Warned Dr. Julian Tang, a clinical virologist and honorary associate professor in the department of respiratory sciences at England’s University of Leicester: “Outdated and unsupported thinking and attitudes can cost lives.”

In House hearing, NTF-ELCAC questions Patricia Non’s ‘raised fist’ photo

Pinoy Abrod
-
0
In House hearing, NTF-ELCAC questions Patricia Non’s ‘raised fist’ photo

May 19, 2021

Dwight de Leon

MANILA, Philippines

(1st UPDATE) The government’s anti-communist insurgency task force says concerned citizens first alerted them about a photo of Patricia Non with a raised fist

In another attempt to question the background of Maginhawa Community Pantry’s Patricia Non, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) said it was concerned over a photo of her raising a clenched fist.

During a hearing on community pantries led by the House committee on human rights on Wednesday, May 19, Undersecretary Severo Catura, one of the new spokespersons of the NTF-ELCAC, claimed there were civilians who questioned Non’s photo.

“Tao po ang nagreklamo, hindi gobyerno…. Ni-raise nila ang issue na tumaas ang kamao (It was the people, not the government, who raised the issue on a photo of her raising her fist in the air),” said Catura said, an undersecretary for the Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat. He represented fellow spokesperson Lorraine Badoy, who missed the House hearing because of an activity in Davao Del Norte.

The comment did not sit well with Kabataan Representative Sarah Elago, who called out Catura for his remarks.

“Malaya po ang ating kababayan as long as hindi gumagawa ng krimen. Dahil lang may litrato siya na nakataas-kamao, ibig sabihin ba natin na binibigyan natin ng katwiran [ang red-tagging]?” Elago said.

(Our countrymen are free to raise their fist in the air as long as they are not committing a crime. Do we justify red-tagging just because Non has a photo of her with her fist raised in the air?)

When Elago further pressed the NTF-ELCAC on the red-baiting of community pantries, Remulla chimed in and said “aiding and abetting to rebellion is a crime also.”

“May mga tao na may ibang adhikain diyan sa community pantry na mayroon talagang koneksyon para pabagsakin ang gobyerno (Some people have different goals for community pantries which are connected to efforts to overthrow the government),” Remulla said.

Elago told Remulla that the courts are the proper avenue for such claims.

‘Overreaction’ instead of encouragement

During the hearing, Agusan del Norte 1st District Representative Lawrence Fortun came to the defense of community pantries, saying they would not have existed if people affected by the pandemic had enough food provisions.

Fortun said that the “beauty” of the community pantry movement is that such a “little initiative” inspired many people across the country and “showed the capacity of the Filipino to step up during crisis and help other people.”

He asked the NTF-ELCAC for the number community pantries in the country that the task force said supposedly used the initiative to “demean the government for its failures.”

“We should be very careful in messaging,” Fortun said, referring to the NTF-ELCAC’s general statements against community pantries.

He noted that instead of encouraging community pantries, the NTF-ELCAC’s “overreaction” caused some community pantries to suspend operations.

State forces ‘just doing their job’

The Philippine National Police Human Rights Affairs Office (PNP HRAO) for its part said there was no order from the top to profile community pantry organizers.

“Iyong mga pagtatanong po ng ating pulis na nagpapatrol sa kalsada, sila po ay may katungkulan na alamin ang anumang aktibidad sa kanilang area of responsibility (It is the police’s responsibility to ask questions on any activity in their area of responsibility),” said Police Brigadier General Vincent Calanoga, chief of the PNP HRAO.

Parlade also called out news outfits, including Rappler, for supposedly making a false claim that he admitted to “profiling” community organizers, even though the red-tagging activities of the NTF-ELCAC have been thoroughly documented. 

Rappler’s report on April 20, 2021 quoted Parlade as saying, “Alam mo, tsine-check. Marami doon eh. Ilan ba iyang naka-post sa social media? So we’re just checking ‘yung background ng mga ‘to (You know, they’re being checked. There’s a lot among them. How many were posted on social media? So we’re just checking the background of these people).”

On Wednesday, he vehemently denied the NTF-ELCAC’s activities were tantamount to red-tagging.

“In one of my interviews, I was asked ‘Bakit ‘nyo nire-red-tag itong mga grupong ito? (Why do you red-tag these groups)’ I said, ‘No, we don’t red-tag them,’” he said, arguing that the NTF-ELCAC was just merely reminding people to be careful about community pantries.

Consequences of red-tagging

Despite the government’s efforts to defend itself against red-baiting allegations, the experiences of community pantry organizers speak for themselves. 

Non had to pause her operations for a day in April amid fears for her volunteers’ safety. Some pantries were also forced to cease operations due to alleged police profiling.

Parlade already drew the wrath of senators, who censured him in April after he called lawmakers stupid for seeking to defund the NTF-ELCAC.

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr also issued a gag order against him after red-tagging community pantries. 

However, the government’s refusal to remove him from NTF-ELCAC has disappointed critics, including Senator Panfilo Lacson, who said it was arrogant for the task force to retain Parlade as spokesperson. — Rappler.com

Retired military, police execs call for unity vs China aggression

Pinoy Abrod
-
0
Retired military, police execs call for unity vs China aggression

By: Frances Mangosing – Reporter /INQUIRER.net /May 18, 202

MANILA, Philippines—Retired military and police officers are urging the country’s leaders to unite and set aside differences on China’s continuing aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

In a statement, Advocates for National Interest (ANI), chaired by retired general Edilberto Adan, said Philippine leaders should set aside “any partisan political agenda and parochial interests.”

“This conflict with China should serve to unify rather than divide us. The protection and defense of our sovereignty and territory is a national obligation,” the group said.

The Philippine government has been releasing conflicting statements on the West Philippine Sea dispute. President Rodrigo Duterte himself has been issuing contradicting statements about the 2016 arbitral award on the world stage and during his regular briefings.

Critics said Duterte’s statements have been mostly favorable or friendly to China, whose ships continued to encroach Philippine waters despite repeated diplomatic protests of the Philippine government.

“Let us take the side of the Filipino people. Our citizens must not lend themselves and unwittingly act in support of the China narrative,” ANI said.

The group said Filipinos should know that an “information war” is going on that employs psychological, propaganda and media tools to convince that China’s unlawful actions in the West Philippine Sea are justified, which is China’s narrative.

War is not the only option to defend the West Philippine Sea, ANI said. While the group did not mention it, Duterte has often said that taking action in the West Philippine Sea to assert the country’s sovereignty could lead to “war,” a narrative that has been debunked by local and international experts, as well as former government officials.

“We are not alone,” said the ANI statement.

“There is a range of diplomatic, legal, informational tools or soft power that can be deftly used. We have allies, partners and friends willing to share the burden to keep a secure, stable and free-flowing trade through the South China Sea,” it said.

Thousands rally across Europe to back Palestinians

Pinoy Abrod
-
0

Agence France-Presse/May 16, 2021

LONDON — Tens of thousands of protesters marched in support of Palestinians on Saturday in major European cities including London, Berlin, Madrid and Paris, as the worst violence in years raged between Israel and militants in Gaza.

In London, several thousand protesters carrying placards reading “Stop Bombing Gaza” and chanting “Free Palestine” converged on Marble Arch, near the British capital’s Hyde Park, to march towards the Israeli embassy.

Packed crowds stretched all along Kensington High Street where the embassy is located.

Organizers claimed as many as 150,000 people had gathered for the London march, one of several across Britain, though London police said they were unable to confirm any figure.

“The group is spread across a large area which makes it impossible to count them,” a Metropolitan Police spokesman said.

“This time is different,” Palestinian Ambassador Husam Zomlot told the demonstrators.

“This time we will not be denied any more. We are united. We have had enough of oppression.”

Simon Makepace, a 61-year-old accountant told AFP he had joined the protests because “the whole world should be doing something about it, including this country.”

‘Stop what’s happening’

He was critical of the United States, which he said was unfairly backing Israel, and urged Washington to “make peace and stop what’s happening.”

Azadeh Pyman, a 50-year-old scientist said she had been raised on the Palestinian cause by her parents and grandparents.

“I think it’s the cause that will go from one generation to another generation, until Palestine is free,” she said.

Later Saturday, two Leicester players, England’s Hamza Choudhury and France’s Wesley Fofana, held a Palestinian flag after their team won the FA Cup final.

Across North America, in turn, gatherings to show solidarity with Palestinians took place in cities including Boston, Washington, Montreal and Dearborn, Michigan.

Several hundred people turned out in the Bay Ridge area of Brooklyn, New York, chanting “Free, free Palestine” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

They waved Palestinian flags and held placards that read “End Israeli Apartheid” and “Freedom for Gaza.”

In Madrid, meanwhile, some 2,500 people, many of them young people wrapped in Palestinian flags, marched to the Puerta del Sol plaza in the city centre.

“This is not a war, it’s genocide,” they chanted.

“They are massacring us,” said Amira Sheikh-Ali, a 37-year-old of Palestinian origin.

“We’re in a situation when the Nakba is continuing in the middle of the 21st century,” she said, referring to the “catastrophe”, a word used by Palestinians to describe Israel’s creation in 1948 when hundreds of thousands fled or were driven out.

“We want to ask Spain and the European authorities not to collaborate with Israel, because with their silence, they are collaborating,” said Ikhlass Abousousiane, a 25-year-old nurse of Moroccan origin.

The marches came amid the worst Israeli-Palestinian violence since a 2014 war in Gaza.

‘Boycott Israel’

Thousands marched in Berlin and other German cities following a call by the Samidoun collective.

Three marches were authorized in Berlin’s working-class Neukoelln southern district, home to large numbers of people with Turkish and Arab roots.

The protesters shouted “Boycott Israel” and threw paving stones and bottles at the police, leading to several arrests.

Other protests were held in Frankfurt, Leipzig and Hamburg.

On Tuesday, Israeli flags were burnt in front of two synagogues in Bonn and Muenster.

Police officers used tear gas and water cannon in Paris to try to disperse a pro-Palestinian rally held there despite a ban by authorities.

Some threw stones or tried to set up roadblocks with construction barriers, but for the most part police pursued groups across the district while preventing a planned march toward the Place de la Bastille.

The march had been banned on Thursday over concerns of a repeat of fierce clashes that erupted at a similar Paris march during the last war in 2014, when protesters took aim at synagogues and other Israeli and Jewish targets.

“France is the only democratic country to ban these demonstrations,” said a statement from lawyers for the Association of Palestinians in the Paris region.

Days of fighting

In Greece, police said around a thousand people marched on the US embassy in Athens. Riot police used water cannon and there were minor scuffles with protesters in front of the embassy, AFP correspondents reported.

In Rome, a few hundred people gathered near the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica, carrying large Palestinian flags and chanting slogans.

“No need to be Muslim to support the Palestinians,” read one placard: “You just need to be a human being.”

In Tunisia, demonstrations took place in several cities. Hundreds of demonstrators draped in Palestinian flags gathered in central Tunis, before marching on Habib Bourguiba Avenue, watched by police.

Israel is fighting Hamas militants in Gaza while trying to contain an outbreak of internal Jewish-Arab clashes and violence in the West Bank.

The Israeli bombardment began Monday, after Gaza’s Islamist rulers Hamas fired rockets towards Jerusalem.

That was in response to bloody Israeli police action at the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem, as well as a crackdown on protests against the planned Israeli expulsion of Palestinians from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in annexed east Jerusalem.

Since Monday, Israeli air and artillery strikes on Gaza have killed 145 people including 41 children, and wounded 1,100 more, health officials say.

Palestinian armed groups have fired at least 2,300 rockets at Israel since, killing 10 people, including a child and a soldier. More than 560 Israelis have been wounded.

1...707172...730Page 71 of 730
© Newspaper WordPress Theme by TagDiv