Global Alliance for Palestine launches in London with call for united front
A major new international initiative to coordinate solidarity efforts for Palestine held its founding conference in London this weekend, drawing politicians, activists, academics, and campaigners from across five continents.
The Global Alliance for Palestine (GAFP) was formally launched on Saturday in a packed hall in central London, bringing together figures from Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The initiative aims to unify and strengthen global support for Palestinian rights in the wake of Israel’s assault on Gaza and growing international outrage since October 2023.
The organisers say the alliance is an attempt to move beyond scattered efforts and forge a more strategic, coordinated and long-term approach to confronting Israeli occupation and apartheid — particularly among groups outside the Arab and Muslim worlds.
What is the Global Alliance for Palestine?
The alliance describes itself as a broad-based international network linking trade unions, civil society groups, media and cultural initiatives, student movements, and parliamentarians. Its goal: to turn global outrage into organised pressure — and to make solidarity smarter, stronger, and harder to ignore.
“The message is clear,” said organisers. “Solidarity with Palestine must be unified, structured, and effective.”
From slogans to structure
Saturday’s conference marked a turning point in that vision. It was chaired by British-Iraqi activist Dr Anas Altikriti and included speeches and contributions from major international figures, including:
- UK MP Jeremy Corbyn, who chairs the alliance’s steering committee
- Dr Mustafa Barghouti, Palestinian politician and rights advocate
- Irish nationalist leader Gerry Adams (via video)
- Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis (via video)
- South African anti-apartheid veteran Ronnie Kasrils
- Italian MP Angelo Bonelli
The day opened with a session titled “Framing the Moment”, exploring the momentum behind recent pro-Palestine mobilisation and the need to channel it into lasting, strategic work.
Later sessions focused on lessons from global solidarity movements, successful case studies from the BDS campaign, and ways to translate public pressure into legal and political action.
The final session looked ahead, discussing the alliance’s organisational structure, task forces, and a draft founding charter — with input from campaigners and academics from Brazil, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK.
What comes next?
The conference ended with a formal declaration outlining the alliance’s core principles, including:
- Support for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people
- Rejection of occupation and apartheid
- Defence of the right to nonviolent civil resistance
- A commitment to building a multi-level global movement
It also called for sustained pressure on governments and media institutions — particularly in the Global North — to shift public discourse and policy on Palestine.
Corbyn: ‘This is a turning point’
Speaking at the closing session, Jeremy Corbyn described the event as a “historic moment” in the global fight for justice:
“We are not building a temporary coalition. We are laying the foundations of a permanent international movement — one that challenges injustice and puts Palestine back at the heart of the global conscience.”
A long-term vision
Among the next steps outlined were plans to:
- Expand international BDS efforts
- Build global media alliances to counter disinformation
- Launch educational campaigns on Palestine
- Lobby parliaments to take stronger, principled positions
Organisers confirmed that the next conference will be held in a different country in 2026, as part of the effort to globalise the work and grow the alliance’s reach.
For many in the room, the day marked more than just the start of a new initiative — it signalled a strategic shift in how the world stands with Palestine.
“In a time of multiplying crises,” one organiser said, “this alliance hopes to fill a long-standing void — and give shape to a solidarity movement the world can no longer ignore.”
Read More:
ShortURL ⬇
16°C
