Pro-Palestine marchers say “hands off Rafah” in Sydney, Melbourne

Slogans equating Zionism with fascism and Israel with apartheid could be seen on the streets of Sydney and Melbourne on Sunday as thousands marched in furious “hands off Rafah” rallies.

Israel is preparing to move on the southern Gazan city of Rafah to eliminate the senior leadership of terror group Hamas, which launched the October 7 terror attack on Israel that killed 1200 Israeli men, women and children,

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is thought to be holed in the city alongside hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians, who fled to the border city to escape Israel’s bombing campaign in the Gaza.

Israel’s allies, including the US, have expressed concern about the impending operation in Rafah, and protests against the planned invasion have amplified in recent days.

On Sunday, a swell of Palestinian flags waved through Australia’s two major cities as protesters called on Israel to cancel its offensive.

Some of the signs expressed the fury and animosity the protesters feel towards Israel.

A protester in Melbourne held up a sign reading: “Zionism is racism is fascism” while another read: “boycott apartheid Israel”.

In Sydney, marchers walked through the city to the University of Sydney Gaza encampment on the front lawns of the university with a giant “Stop the Genocide in Gaza” banner.

A Socialist Alternative banner was held up alongside a giant Palestinian flag in the Sydney rally.

Some protesters beat drums as they marched through the streets while others held up their hands.

The rally took place on Mother’s Day and some women walked behind a “mums for Palestine” banner.

Another protester held up a sign reading: “Happy Mother’s Day? My sisters in Gaza watch their children starve, burn and die.”

One protester donned clothes with red patches to signify bloodied clothes.

Protests have exploded in Australia following the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas in October last year.

Two days after the October 7 attack, a crowd gathered at the Sydney Opera House waving Palestinian flags, with a group of men chanting “where are the Jews?”

Pro-Palestine camps have mushroomed across many of Australia’s major universities, including the University of Sydney, the University of Adelaide and Melbourne’s Monash University.

Victoria Police established a mobile surveillance unit at Monash after hard line pro-Palestine protesters appeared to block students from walking freely around the campus last week.

Video captured by a Monash student shows heated, expletive-laden exchanges with the pro-Palestine campers.

In one exchange, the students asks protesters at the camp: “Is it all right if I walk through?”

One protester replies: “No, you can’t walk through.”

When the student asks why he is not allowed to walk through his own university, the protester says: “Because you’re a Zionist and you’re instigating s**t with us and you need to f**k off.”