An estimated 3000 people attended an anti-war “die in” in central Reykjavík yesterday protesting Israeli air raids on Gaza, reports Vísir.
At the protest over 600 people lay down on the ground to represent the recent civilian deaths in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Speakers included Reykjavík Mayor Dagur B. Eggertsson and Sveinn Rúnar Hauksson.
At the end of the protest participants walked to Iceland’s Government Offices to hand off a memorial wreath with the names of over 600 Palestinian victims written on it. The wreath was given to Iceland’s Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson.
Yesterday Sigmundur confirmed that he had sent an official letter to Benjamin Netanyahu pleading with him to lay down arms.
“Friends need to be candid with one another,” Sigmundur wrote. “I appeal to you, Prime Minister, to shoulder Israel’s responsibility and call off military offensives in Gaza and allow for humanitarian assistance to take place under safer conditions, and pave the way for further diplomatic efforts towards a more durable solution.”
As reported, Iceland’s representative at the United Nations, Gréta Gunnarsdóttir, condemned both Israel and Palestine in a speech at an open meeting of the Security Council earlier this week and foreign minister Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson announced Iceland would be donating 12 million ISK in emergency relief funds to aid children effected by the conflict.
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