October 7th Special: reflecting on Free Palestine movement in Naarm/Melbourne, contextualising October 7th 2023, parallels between genocide in 'Australia' and Palestine

Monday Breakfast

Welcome to the Monday Breakfast show for the 7th of October 2024, dedicated entirely to speaking about Palestine, Palestinian resistance, and contextualising October 7th 2023 within a larger history of Israel's apartheid and genocide against Palestine. In this show you'll hear: First up today, we will be listening to the first article from Issue Three of The Sunday Paper, and about the events of October 7th and the Palestinian Resistance doctrine. These topics are of particular importance to Issue Three, in which the editorial statement states “While outwardly supportive of Palestinian rights, and perhaps even self described as radically anti-colonial, many progressive publishers, platforms and organisations will quietly erase words like ‘martyr’ or ‘intifada’ and will quickly withdraw their support at the mention of armed liberation struggle”.You can go back and listen to the full editorial statement in the introductory episode, for a complete explanation of Issue Three’s conceptual basis here. The piece we are featuring today, titled 'Tarakum' was written by a Palestinian PhD candidate in political science who wrote this analysis on the events of October 7 2023, under the pseudonym ‘Nabil Mustafa’. Read by Jeanine Mohanned, and with theme music from DOBBY, and includes the track the track ‘Liberation of Palestine’, performed by Bilal and Khader Al-Ahmad. This episode was produced on Wurundjeri land, which was invaded, stolen and remains under occupation. Colonial violence continues as does Indigenous Resistance. Support the project by subscribing to their substack and gaining full access to their podcasts.Following that, Rob had an extended interview with Mai Saif, local Palestinian organiser who has been campaigning and fighting for justice for over a decade. They spoke about the Free Palestine movement here in Naarm, how life has changed for Palestinian activists over the past year, and what it has been like to organise a year of consistent rallies advocating for a free Palestine. We then hear speeches from the Sunday Free Palestine Rally on the 6th of October: Senator Lidia Thorpe spoke on the parallels between Palestinian and Australia Aboriginal genocide, before giving the floor to her uncle, Uncle Robbie Thorpe for an unexpected speech after spending 3 weeks in hospital. After, fellow Aboriginal activist and academic Professor Gary Foley took to the stage with a scathing rebuke of Australian Government hypocrisy.Finally, Rob spoke with Esther from the Flood The Post Campaign, which is a push to send as many physical postcards to MPs around this continent in order to pressure them to take meaningful action on Palestine. You can find out more about their campaign here and pick up a Flood The Post postcard at the reception desk of 3CR at 21 Smith Street in 'Fitzroy' during business hours. The show ends with a list of community announcements, mostly based around October 7th: Monday night from 6pm: Vigil for Gaza to commemorate the first anniversary of the first bombs dropped on Gaza in Israel's current genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people. October 7 2023 also marks the first day Israel transformed Gaza from an 'open-air prison' into a 'graveyard for children'. No ministers, no Victorian Premier, no Prime Minister will join this multifaith, multicultural vigil. Wear your kufiya, wear black and respect the silent procession which starts at the Marquis of Linlithgow monument, corner of Anzac Avenue, and St Kilda Rd from 6pm sharp.There will also be a vigil this Friday the 11th of October at Federation Square from 6:30pm. The event organised by Free Palestine Melbourne is an event to grieve the many thousands of victims at the hands of Israel's violence.On Palestine National Day, the 1st of November, at 6pm Fed Square will see an event recognising Palestinian identity as a form of resistance. On Thursday evening the Migrant Workers Coalition hosts a public forum speaking about what's going on with the CFMEU. The forum will cover what the Labor Party's attacks on the CFMEU means for workers rights everywhere, how it will impact the real working and living conditions of tens of thousands of people and what we can do about it. Speakers include Ralph Edwards, Former presidentt of the Victoria CFMEU Construction and General Division and former BLF member; Sanja Markoska, CFMEU Construction worker and delegate; Guy Rundle, co-ordinating editor at Arena Quarterly and correspondent at large for Crikey. The forum will take place at 583 High St Thornbury from 6:30pm.