A PALESTINIAN who escaped war-torn Gaza will speak at a public meeting in Barnsley.
Called by Barnsley Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the event takes place at St George’s Church, on York Street, at 2pm today.
Musheir El-Farrar was visiting his sister in Gaza in early October last year and was trapped by the Israeli attack. He was in Khan Younis where Palestinians from Gaza City were told to flee in order to avoid ground and air attacks.
But Musheir was soon in the middle of air strikes on buildings all around him and was trapped there until late November.
He said: “On October 24 an Israeli bomb destroyed a residential block ten metres away from the house I was sheltering in.
“I saw the body of my beloved cousin Hatim, a boy I’ve loved since he was a kid, in front of me. I am so pleased at the demonstrations taking place in the UK in support of Palestinians and calling for an end to the slaughter.”
The meeting will be an opportunity to hear from someone who managed to escape the killings in Gaza and to discuss what further action to help can be carried out in Barnsley, organisers said.
Tony Nuttall, from the Barnsley Palestine Solidarity Campaign, added: “We have raised large amounts for Palestine including £4,000 at fundraisers and £200 from ex-miners at the Davy Jones and Joe Green memorial meeting at the NUM offices.
“We have received lots of support from Barnsley people signing our petition calling for a ceasefire. However we are now looking at what else we can do to pressure our local MPs and council to support the call for a ceasefire.”
