Pro-Palestine demonstrators gather in Valletta to commemorate 1976 protests

Pro-Palestine demonstrators gathered in St George’s Square in Valletta on Sunday to commemorate Land Day. 

Land Day marks events that took place on March 30, 1976, when Israeli soldiers killed six unarmed demonstrators during marches protesting the government’s plan to confiscate around 20 square kilometres of Arab-owned land for state purposes.

It was the first time since 1948 that Arabs in Israel organised a response to Israeli policies. 

Dania Haddad, a Palestinian living in Malta, was among those who addressed the crowd. Photo: Matthew Bonanno

On Sunday, those in the Valletta square who gathered beneath the Sette Giugno monument carried placards reading 'Stop fuelling genocide', 'Your bullets kill children' and 'Free Palestine'.

The activists called for an end to "the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine and Israel’s racist apartheid policies towards Palestinians". 

Among those present for the demonstration, Dania Haddad, a Palestinian living in Malta, recalled her grandfather used to say that land came before honour and everything.  

“Along with his family, he refused to leave their land in Jenin in the West Bank in 1948 despite the threats they received from Zionist militia that attacked nearby villages and expelled Palestinian farmers during Nakba,” Haddad said, referring to the displacement of thousands of Palestinians following the creation of the new state of Israel. 

She said her 92-year-old grandmother still lived in the house in Jenin, “next to her olive, lemon and orange trees”, despite numerous house invasions and assaults by the Israeli army. 

Referring to the events of 1976, Haddad said that because the Israeli government was afraid of all forms of Palestinian resistance, it declared the protests illegal. 

“Nevertheless, tens of thousands of Palestinians went on a strike and marched peacefully. The day was marred by Israel’s violent response in which six Palestinian citizens were killed and more than a hundred wounded or arrested,” she said. 

Haddad noted that between 2022 and 2024, Israel had approved at least 24,000 illegal housing units to be built on Palestinian land, dismantled refugee camps in several cities in the West Bank, and killed more than 50,000 Palestinians amid an ongoing genocide. 

Joanna Jebaili, from The Lebanese Advocates, meanwhile, told those present that the gathering offered some solace to those trying to "overcome the helplessness caused by the ongoing genocide".

Jebaili, originally from Lebanon, described herself as a proud Maltese citizen and a sad US one.

She noted that while the words "survivor" and "resilient" were deemed positive traits, the persecuted people did not choose to have to survive and resist.

"It is not enough for us to continue to have another 80 years of mere survival," she added.

Sammy Meilaq, from Għaqda Newtrali drew parallels between the Nakba and  Nazi Lebensraum.

"Some try to justify Israel's actions by implying that everything started on October 7. October 7 was an act of resistance by people fighting for their freedom," he said.

"They say those who are anti-Zionist are anti-Semitic. This is a lie. I am proud to be anti Zionist because I am anti-imperialist, and Zionism is a form of imperialism. I consider - among my heroes - Jewish socialists who are also anti Zionist," Meilaq said, slamming the Maltese government for failing to recognise the Palestinian state.

Those present carried placards reading 'Stop fuelling genocide', 'Your bullets kill children' and 'Free Palestine', among others. Photo: Matthew Bonanno

Meanwhile, Andre Callus from Movimenti Graffitti reminded those present of Malta's celebration of Freedom Day on Monday, March 31.

"Freedom is essential to humanity. If we don't have freedom, we have nothing. Palestine is the place where colonialism still exists in all its cruelty," he argued.

Callus made reference to the NGO's call on Rugby Europe to cut ties with the Israeli national rugby team ahead of a scheduled match against Malta next month.

The Maltese national rugby team will play against Israel on April 5 at the Tony Bezzina Stadium as part of a Rugby Europe competition.

Graffitti is urging the governing body to sever its ties with the Israeli national rugby team, just as it did with the Russian team.

Also referring to Malta's Freedom Day, David Zammit from Ġustizzja għall-Palestina said the island will on Monday recall the closure of the British military base here.

"Colonialism in Malta took the form of military fortifications that displaced Maltese people from their land. The struggle for liberation is also the struggle for land," he said.

Also from Ġustizzja għall-Palestina, Yana Mintoff referred to Palestinians as "our Mediterranean neighbours".

Sunday's protest was endorsed by Ġustizzja għall-Palestina, Moviment Graffitti, The Association for Justice, Equality and Peace - AJEP, The Lebanese Advocates, Youth for Palestine, The Watermelon Warriors, Il-Progressivi, PEN Malta, aditus Foundation, Blue Door Education and Żminijietna.