The Sydney Gaza Freedom Vigil began with an Acknowledgement of Country as we paid our respects to the traditional owners of our land, to the elders of the past, present and future, acknowledging that the land we stand on always was and always will be Aboriginal land. This was followed by a minute of silence to remember all those killed in Israel’s bombardment of Gaza one year ago.
   
We erected tents to symbolise the thousands of families in Gaza still forced to live in tents one year after Israel's bombs destroyed their homes. They are unable to rebuild as Israel's blockade denies them access to building materials as it denies them food, medicines and freedom of movement.
   
Our well-attended rally then called on the Australian Government to use its influence to persuade Israel to end its illegal blockade of Gaza and to support the implementation of the Goldstone Report into the war crimes committed during “Operation Cast Lead” attack. Hundreds of postcards stating our demands were signed and will be delivered to Prime Minister Rudd in the New Year.
   
Speakers included Mr Akram al-Satarri, by phone from El Wafa Medical Rehabilitation Hospital in Gaza,   Lynda Voltz (ALP) who, with Sylvia Hale of The Greens isco- convenor of the cross-party Friends of Palestine in the NSW Parliament. Mr Rami Meo spoke as a member of Sydney’s Palestinan community.
  
People donated generously and we will be giving more than one thousand dollars to Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA for the El Wafa Rehabilitation Hospital in Gaza City.
   
After a lively march through the Sydney CBD, high school student Leith Salwalha (pictured) gave an inspiring speech from the perspective of the Palestinian future generations.
   
There was beautiful progressive music from Iranian, Lebanese, South American, and Tamil friends of Palestine and  a film retrospective on Gaza took us to our finishing time 8:20pm in Sydney, exactly one
 year to the minute after the start of Israel’s attack on
                                                                   Gaza on 27 December 2008 at 11:20am (Gaza time).