Nationwide rallies around the country will this weekend celebrate the ceasefire settlement which will bring huge relief for Palestinians in Gaza.

We will also be celebrating Palestinian resistance and steadfastness which means Israel has failed in its key objectives – it has not crushed the Palestinian resistance nor has it ethnically cleansed Palestinians from Northern Gaza for Israeli settlements.

Over 15 months Israel has dropped well over 70,000 tonnes of bombs on this tiny 360 square kilometre strip of land, home to 2.3 million people. This is more than the combined total of bombs dropped on London, Hamburg and Dresden during the six years of the Second World War.

Just as we saw in Vietnam and Afghanistan the determination to resist has proven itself more critical than the overwhelming military firepower of Israel and the US.

Palestinian courage, tenacity and sumud (steadfastness) represent a triumph of the human spirit against overwhelming odds.

For New Zealand the great tragedy has been our government response which has been to condemn every act of Palestinian resistance but refuse to condemn even the most blatant of Israeli war crimes. Mr Luxon has put us on the wrong side of yet another human struggle for justice.

Nationwide rallies/marches/MP protests/vigils this week

North Island
Opononi - Shared Palestinian themed lunch
Saturday 18 January
1:00 pm
Outside Opononi four square

Kerikeri - Rally
First Saturday of the month

Whangarei – Rally
No Rally this week

Waiheke – Market Stall – hosted by Stand With Palestine Waiheke!
Every Saturday
8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Ostend Market, Waiheke Island

Auckland – Stand for Palestine
Monday – Friday
3:00 – 4:00 pm at the US Consulate - 23 Customs Street East
4:00 – 5:00 pm at Te Komititanga Britomart Square

Auckland – Joining Marika at Stand for Palestine (see above)
Wednesday 15 January
3:00 – 4:00 pm at the US Consulate - 23 Customs Street East
4:00 – 5:00 pm at Te Komititanga Britomart Square

Auckland – Banners around Tamaki Makaurau
Every Saturday
This week
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Sunnynook Road overbridge, North Shore, Auckland
Text John on 021 899 659 for more details

Auckland – Rally for Palestine – The BDS Series
Saturday 18 January - Divest
2:00 pm
Te Komititanga - Britomart Square, Tamaki Makaurau

Thames – Vigil to Stop the war on Children
(Hosted by The Basket – Social and Environmental Justice - Hauraki)
First Saturday of the month

Tauranga – Picnic in the Park
Friday 17 January
6:00 pm
Gourmet Night Market, Coronation Park, Mt Maunganui

Tauranga - Flags
Sunday 19 January
11:00 am
Papamoa shopping center, Domain & Gravatt Rd, Papamoa

Hamilton – Flag Waving for Palestine
Saturday 11 January
1:00 pm
Flynn Park, Cnr Wairere Drive & Naylor, Hamilton

Raglan
Sunday 12 January
Nothing this week

Cambridge - Rally for Palestine
Every Saturday
11:00 am
Cambridge Town Hall

Rotorua – Rally for Palestine
Every Thursday
4:30 pm
National MP Todd McClays Office - Cnr Amohau and Ranolf St lights, Rotorua

Gisborne - Farmers Market - Vigil to Stop the war on Children
Every Saturday
9:30 – 11:30 am
Gisborne Farmers Market

Napier - Rally for Palestine
Saturday 18 January
11:30 am
Marine Parade Soundshell Roundabout

Hastings – Rally for Palestine
Sunday 19 January
1:00 pm
Hastings Town Clock – Hastings CBD

Palmerston North - Rally
Every Sunday
2:00 pm
The Square, Palmerston North

New Plymouth – Flags at the Council
Every Friday
4:00 – 5:30 pm
New Plymouth District Council, 84 Liardet Street

New Plymouth – Flags for Gaza
Saturday 18 January
1:00 PM
The Landing, 1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth

Whanganui - Rally for Palestine
Saturday 18 January
11:00 am
Riverside Market, Whanganui

Carterton – Gathering for Gaza
Every Tuesday
12:00 midday
Memorial Square.

Martinborough – Vigil for Palestine
Every Wednesday
11:00 am
The square at the top of Kitchener St, Martinborough

Masterton - Gathering for Gaza
Every Sunday
9:30 am
Town Hall Lawn, Masterton

Featherston – Gathering for Gaza
Every Saturday
11:00 am
The Squircle (opposite the op shop).

Wellington – Flags on the Bridge
(hosted by the Falastin Tea Collective)
Every Friday
7:45 – 8:45 am
Hill Street bridge Overbridge, Wellington

Wellington – Vigil for Palestine
(hosted by Aotearoa Healthcare Workers for Palestine)
Every Friday
6:00 pm
In front of Wellington Hospital, 49 Riddiford Street, Newtown, Wellington

Wellington – Rally
(hosted by the Falastin Tea Collective)
Saturday 18 January
1:00 pm

South Island
Nelson – Flag waving for Palestine
Saturday 18 January
10:30 am
Tahunanui Beach, Rocks Rd, Nelson

Blenheim - Rally for Palestine
Saturday 18 January
11:00 am
Blenheim Railway Station

Christchurch – Flags for Palestine
Friday 17 January
4:00 pm
Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street, Christchurch

Christchurch – Rally for Palestine
Saturday 18 January
1:00 pm
Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street, Christchurch

Timaru
No Rally this weekend

Dunedin – Rally
Saturday 18 January
No Rally this weekend

Queenstown
No rally this weekend

Invercargill - Rally for Palestine
Sunday 19 January
1:00 pm
Wachner place Invercargill

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