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200 people walked through the streets of Durham from Millennium Square to the Cathedral to protest at Israeli atrocities in Gaza. They represented a wide spectrum of opinion and organizations. There were members of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Peace Action Durham, Amnesty International as well as people from local churches and mosques.

Prof. Bill Williamson, Chair of Durham Palestine Solidarity Campaign explained that to demand an end to Israel's war against Palestinians in front of Durham Cathedral was something that would send a powerful message to politicians and to peace activists across the world.

Iyad al-Alagha, a Palestinian postgraduate student in Durham University and a resident of Khan Younis in the Gaza strip, explained to the rally that Israeli action did not discriminate between civilians and fighters or between different Palestinian groups. The blood of the dead is Palestinian blood. 'Of course' he explained, 'Israel would not be able to commit these massacres in Gaza in this barbaric manner without getting a green light from all superpowers in the world, especially the US and EU governments.' He urged his audience not to be deceived by Israeli propaganda that portrays legitimate Palestinian resistance as terrorism.

Alice Severs of Amnesty International described Israel's neglect of Palestinian human rights and urged the rally and people in Britain to support the actions of brave young Israelis who will not join the military forces that illegally occupy Palestinian land.

Heather Speight of Peace Action Durham urged people to keep alive the candle of peace and campaign to persuade Israel to stop its actions in Gaza.

Professor Jimmy Dunn, a leading Christian theologian, expressed great sadness that this war damaged Israel too and violated the country's religious traditions and principles. For a people that had experienced the Nazi Holocaust it was a terrible shame that their leaders show such little understanding of the needs and the plight of Palestinians.

Este Rimmer, A Jewish Israeli, spoke movingly of how hard it was, as a Jew in Israel, to speak out for peace and justice. But an Israeli Peace Movement did exist. Israelis were also victims of their leaders' lies. This attack on Gaza, she explained, was for Israeli politicians merely part of their election campaign leading up to their election in February. In the long term it would damage Israeli security. It is vital for the international community to support the Jewish voices for peace in the region and in particular those who refuse to serve in Israel's occupying forces.

A Muslim speaker highlighted the damage being done to Palestinian society. People were suffering from all the basic necessities of life and were living in fear, incapable of exerting any power over the politicians whose actions decide their fate. People throughout the world gained only a biased picture of Palestinian realities since global mass media distorts what is happening on the ground.

Bill Williamson drew the rally to a close underlining the demands being made in PSC-organized demonstrations across the country. These are: to stop Israel's military action; to end the Israeli blockade of Gaza; to end Israel's violation of international law and to end the illegal occupation of Palestine. Action was needed now by our politicians, Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister in particular - both Zionist sympathisers - for once to act in the name of peace and humanity and bring their warlike friend to heel.

He recalled that in this same place, in 1986, in the dark days of Apartheid in South Africa, the people of Durham turned out to support Bishop Tutu of South Africa who had received the freedom of the City of Durham. Black South African students in the University said at the time that back home they felt that no one cared about them. The demonstration that night showed them that people did care and they were inspired by that. Bishop Tutu has recently compared Israeli policies towards the Palestinians as worse than Apartheid and a violation of basic human rights. We all hope that our message of solidarity with the people of Gaza would offer them hope in the knowledge that people in this country supported their cause to live in security and for a just peace.

Leaflets given out on the march highlighted how ordinary citizens can act to make a difference, to stop this war and build a just peace. They can demand that their politicians work to achieve these ends. As Professor Williamson stressed, in the absence of leadership for peace from our elected politicians, people must work for it. The actions of everyone count. We can all do something. The voice for peace of millions of individual people must be heard.