Pro-Palestinian demonstration in Luxembourg City on 4 November 2023; Credit: CPJPO

Hundreds of people braved the wind and rain on the afternoon of Saturday 4 November 2023 to take part in a demonstration in Luxembourg City calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Organised by the Comité pour une Paix Juste au Proche-Orient asbl (CPJPO; Committee for Fair Peace in the Middle East), this event took the form of a march (like the previous week's demonstration, organised by Shoura) from the Philharmonie in Luxembourg-Kirchberg to Place de Clairefontaine in Luxembourg-Ville.

An estimated 600 to 700 people marched through Luxembourg City carrying placards and chanting slogans such as "Ceasefire now" and "EU: Stop complicity with war crimes!"

According to the CPJPO, the main demands were:

  • an immediate ceasefire and free access to humanitarian aid for populations;
  • the release of all Israeli hostages and Palestinian political prisoners;
  • the lifting of the siege of Gaza and its reconnection with the rest of the Palestinian territory;
  • the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the occupied territories and the restitution of Palestinian lands to the Palestinians;
  • an end to the EU's "unconditional support" for Israel;
  • accelerating the investigation of war crimes before the International Criminal Court (ICC), whether crimes committed by the Israeli army or by Palestinian armed groups.

In his introductory remarks, Claude Grégoire of the CPJPO stressed that the goal of this gathering was to "recall the right of all beings to life, security, equality, human rights and dignity".

Irène Bigler, President of the Union des Femmes Luxembourgeoises, presented some of the latest figures: more than 9,000 deaths in Gaza, including 3,800 children; more than 20,000 people injured; 1.4 million people displaced.

Michel Legrand of CPJPO spoke about the situation beyond Gaza, namely in the West Bank, whilst Jean-Luc Karleskind warned against "war propaganda".

Other speakers on this occasion included Nathalie Oberweis and Oualid Sallah, as well as Jean Portante, who later read out a poem. The speakers expressed concerns that "a genocide is taking place", as the former commented, and criticised the response of the European Union and the United Nations. Claude Grégoire criticised the "complicity" and "double standards" of the EU. The speakers also expressed their concern over bans on pro-Palestinian demonstrations elsewhere in Europe.

Claude Grégoire concluded by stressing the "urgency" of an "immediate ceasefire", recalling the need to respect human rights and dignity.