for his or her final marketing campaign assembly, the Rebels drive the purpose house with Gaza | EUROtoday

“Each ballot is a response to Mr. Netanyahu. We will vote on June 9 for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” launched Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Thursday June 6 in Lyon, in entrance of round 2,000 folks gathered. on the Sucrière, a room the place many keffiyehs and Palestinian flags have been displayed. Three days earlier than the European elections, the rebellious chief hit the nail on the pinnacle by as soon as once more making the scenario in Gaza the principle challenge within the election.

In the presence of Rima Hassan, 7^e on Manon Aubry's checklist and develop into, in latest weeks, the muse of activists of the Palestinian trigger, Jean-Luc Mélenchon accused the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, of being “the organizer of a genocide”. “We will respond on Sunday to the shame that it was for our country to put a war criminal on television,” he mentioned, referring to the interview with Benjamin Netanyahu on May 30 on TF1 and LCI.

“We demand an arms embargo in Europe. We demand the suspension of cooperation agreements with Mr. Netanyahu's government. The war would stop immediately if we cut off the trade tap,” he added, faithfully to its line for the reason that begin of the marketing campaign and on which the Insoumis have relied on to persuade the same old abstainers to vote for the European elections.

Read additionallyMaking Gaza the foremost challenge of the Europeans, a double or nothing technique for La France insoumise

Will the wager repay on Sunday night when the accounts are counted? The supporters current Thursday night consider it. “Jean-Luc Mélenchon makes me proud to be French. He has the courage to defend positions that do not go with the wind. The Insoumis are the only ones to defend the Palestinian cause,” explains Fanny, 44. Next to her, her daughter Kenza, 23, nods. “In reality, it’s a marginal position that they take, so it’s nonsense to accuse them of patronage,” she believes.

“Scandalous to see the Insoumis being accused of political exploitation”

Slightly additional on, Fabien, 48 years previous and with a keffiyeh round his neck, doesn’t perceive these accusations both. “The entire left, apart from the PS, has made the Palestinian cause a central issue in its software for decades. So I find it scandalous that Jean-Luc Mélenchon and the Insoumis are being accused of political exploitation today,” he mentioned. he takes away.

The former candidate for the presidential election in 2012, 2017 and 2022 didn’t fail to ironize on the Israeli authorities's technique to discredit criticism focusing on it, drawing up an inventory of establishments, international locations and personalities certified by the Hebrew State of anti-Semite: “The UN, the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, South Africa, Colombia, the Pope, Dominique de Villepin, Lula, the women's basketball team of Ireland, the technical staff of Eurovision…”

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An arrow that’s proper heading in the right direction, in keeping with Jocelyne, 70 years previous and member of Collective 69 Palestine and the Jewish Union for Peace, who was “shocked to see the assaults on freedom of expression that this trigger suffered throughout this marketing campaign “.

A conference by Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Rima Hassan in Lille on Palestine was notably canceled in mid-April by the president of the university where it was to be held. Then, the next day, the same conference, which had found another venue, was banned by the prefect of the North. Furthermore, several pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been banned in several cities in France since the attack perpetrated by Hamas against Israel on October 7.

“Ceasefire! Ceasefire! Ceasefire!”

Speaking following Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the head of the list of La France insoumise, Manon Aubry, discussed the other themes raised during her campaign: purchasing power, tax justice, workers' rights, fight against global warming climate, new agricultural model or even the fight against the extreme right. But it was Gaza, which she mentioned in turn, which brought back the fervor, the public rising to chant “Ceasefire! Ceasefire! Ceasefire!”.

“Yes, we undertake not to look away from this ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip while our government and the European Union stand out for their inaction, on the wrong side of History, suppliers of weapons to Netanyahu, and who prefer to threaten democracy than to threaten war criminals”, lamented the candidate, earlier than referring to the heavy sanction acquired by the rebellious MP Sébastien Delogu.

Present on stage behind her, the latter was suspended for 2 weeks from the National Assembly for having brandished a Palestinian flag within the hemicycle.

“I support them because they do not look down and do not apologize for defending their ideas. The same cannot be said of everyone on the left. At least their line is clear,” rejoiced Antoine, 29 years previous, on the finish of a gathering.

Around him, the viewers was standing, applauding and a few brandishing their Palestinian flag whereas chanting “Manon! Manon! Manon!”, earlier than the Marseillaise got here to conclude the night.