'Against the silence of the UN, while women are being killed in Gaza': Activists demonstrate in Sin al-Fil

Around a hundred demonstrators staged a sit-in on Friday in Sin al-Fil, in Beirut's eastern suburbs, in front of the headquarters of UN Women, the UN entity for gender equality and women's empowerment, in a show of solidarity with Gaza, on the occasion of International Women's Rights Day.

The demonstration took place peacefully, with a small police presence.

"We've come all the way from Beirut to shout out: The children of Gaza are being killed," chanted one demonstrator, while others proclaimed that they were "feminists, feminists against confessionalism, against fascism." Slogans on placards called for "the siege of Gaza to be lifted," and argued that there could be no feminist struggle "without including Gaza."

Women holding a large Palestinian flag. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L'Orient Today)

Iman, a twenty-something demonstrator, explained to L'Orient-Le Jour the importance of this sit-in: "We all have to be there, it's our duty. Our movement makes sense, especially in the shadow of the ongoing genocide. Especially in the face of organizations that claim to support human rights, but in fact let it happen. "We want to raise our voices as women, against the silence of the UN. Women are being killed in Gaza," said Halima, from Marj in the Bekaa. In a speech, an activist asserted that there is "no liberation of Palestine without the liberation of women."

A huge Palestinian flag was also unfurled in front of the UN headquarters, while a Syrian revolution flag could also be seen in the crowd. "Feminism protects the gun," chanted the demonstrators.

This article originally appeared in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.