Calls for an immediate ceasefire and sanctions against Israel will be at the forefront of the Global March for Palestine in Luxembourg this Sunday, as organisers say diplomatic recognition of Palestine is only a first step.

The Global March for Palestine will take place in Luxembourg City on Sunday, with organisers aiming to draw international attention to the situation in Gaza and demand concrete action from the Luxembourg government.

The event is coordinated by the Luxembourg Coalition for Palestine, an umbrella group comprising over 40 organisations, unions, and civil society groups, including Amnesty International Luxembourg. At a press conference held at the NGO Cooperation Circle, organisers voiced strong criticism of Israel.

David Pereira, Director General of Amnesty International Luxembourg, explained the motivation for the march, stressing that a genocide is taking place. "What are we doing? How can we continue to live with a clear conscience?" Pereira asked, adding, "If we were in their shoes, how would we want the world to react?"

Caroline Willemen from Doctors Without Borders (MSF), who returned from Gaza two weeks ago, provided a firsthand account of the humanitarian situation. She reported that malnutrition is a massive problem, particularly among children and pregnant women, and said she had witnessed children being shot at. According to Willemen, the clinic where she worked in Gaza City was treating 600 patients daily by the end of her mission, and was forced to turn away another 200 each day due to insufficient capacity.

Jules Barthel, president of the Committee for a Just Peace in the Middle East (CJPO), criticised Israel's treatment of journalists, noting that over 220 have been killed since October 2023. Barthel asserted that these deaths "cannot be considered collateral damage; they are part of a well-defined strategy: to silence witnesses, stifle voices, and prevent the truth from getting out of Gaza." He concluded by questioning, "Where is the solidarity from the media, where are the protests from journalists around the world and from Luxembourg in particular?"

The recent recognition of Palestinian statehood by several countries, including Luxembourg, was a key topic at the United Nations in New York during a session held from Monday night into Tuesday morning, Central European Time.

While organisers of the upcoming march welcomed Luxembourg's move as an important signal, they stated that diplomatic recognition alone is insufficient. They are demanding that words be followed by concrete actions, a need they describe as increasingly urgent.

Dalia Khader from collectives4palestine argued that the position of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has become more radical in response to these recognitions. According to Khader, Netanyahu has now stated even more forcefully that there will never be a Palestinian state. "The language of genocide is therefore even stronger than before, and the intention of the Israeli government is clear," Khader stressed.

The Luxembourg Coalition for Palestine is calling for an immediate ceasefire. To secure a lasting peace, the coalition advocates for the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force to Gaza. They are also urging the Luxembourg government to exert pressure on Israel through diplomatic channels and economic sanctions.

Read also: Luxembourg to develop own sanctions framework following Palestine recognition

The Global March for Palestine will begin at 3pm on Sunday on Place de l'Europe in Kirchberg. Participants are asked to wear red as a symbolic gesture of showing a "red card" to the Israeli army's actions in Gaza.