A group of residents has听made听a symbolic recognition of Gaza as a sister city as part of their solidarity with Palestine.
鈥淲e wanted a symbolic show of solidarity with Gaza, and Palestine generally,鈥 community activist Alison Harwood told 一品探花 on January 22.
鈥淲e felt that reaching out from a place that matters to us, to a place that has become symbolic of humanity and resistance (as we watch a live-streamed genocide), would resonate for people.
鈥淣ewcastle, and Mayfield particularly, has a rich context of activism. It鈥檚 home to a culturally diverse community and the river and creeks are of economic and cultural significance to First Nations people.
鈥淚n the past years, we鈥檝e battled together to save our pool (which was gifted to Mayfield by BHP when they destroyed the river beach) and fought inappropriate and health-risking development.
鈥淲e look out for one another and know the more vulnerable people in our community by name. We all belong, and from this safety and belonging, we watch what Israel is doing to Palestine with incredulity.
鈥淭hat this violent settler colonial state continues to inflict such violence on Palestinians with the support of Western governments will be a turning point for our current systems. In the meantime, we won鈥檛 stop fighting for a free Palestine.鈥
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