Protesters lay ‘dead’ on the steps outside parliament on Saturday, in protest at what they say is the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. 

People draped in Palestinian flags held the sit-in as audio recordings from bombings in Gaza were played, echoing against the thick stone slabs that line the parliament building at the Valletta City Gate. 

The activists unfurled a huge banner reading “Palestine: A Homeland Denied”, while others held placards that said “genocide in Gaza” and “cease fire now”. 

Placards depicting European Parliament Roberta Metsola and the word “kompliċi” or complicit were also held up at the protest. 

Metsola came under fire this week for adopting a pro-Israel stance after she travelled to the country last week and met with members of Israel’s Yeheza Unit. 

She later clarified that both she and the European Parliament are advocating for a two-state solution to bring an end to the hostility. 

Photo: Times of Malta

Movement Graffitti activist Andre Callus said that not only are world leaders not doing anything about the devastation of Palestinian people but are “shaking hands with war criminals and pledging their support to keep exterminating Palestinians”.

“You may think that from Malta there is not much we can do to help, but it is significant that people all over the world are gathering and saying that they recognise what is happening in Gaza as genocide,” Callus said. 

“When we speak to our children about this, we can tell them we were not complicit, unlike Roberta Metsola, who went to Israel to cheer them on.” 

Callus called on politicians to “change direction” when taking a stance on the conflict and remember that Palestinian civilians are being bombed non-stop while being deprived of food, water and electricity. 

Without a change in attitude, these deep wounds will not only fail to heal but will get worse, he said. 

“We will not forget the Palestinians, nor will allow the normalisation of Israel to keep doing as it pleases while those imprisoned on the corner of land they have left to be forgotten,” Callus continued.

“It is a huge mistake and the world will not forget. Palestinians have been fighting for 75 years, not to take anyone’s land but simply to be allowed to exist.”

Andre Callus and Bader Zina. Photo: Times of Malta

Bader Zina, a member of the Palestinian community in Malta, appealed to media covering events in Gaza to be truthful and recognise who the victims are in the situation. 

“You cannot lie to us anymore, because thanks to social media we can see the suffering of Palestinians for ourselves,” he said.

“Everyone can do their part by refuting lies with the truth wherever they see it and to show politicians that you do not support what is happening because there is nothing that they fear more than losing your vote.”

Zina also addressed Metsola and said that she cannot claim she wants peace while “throwing fuel to the fire”. 

“If you want peace, do not pledge arms and troops without first trying to negotiate peace and bring two sides together,” he said. 

“Every politician who supports war has their hands soaked in blood.” 

War has been raging between Israel and Hamas for more than two weeks after the Islamist group launched a surprise attack on the country’s southern border on October 7. 

Israel has since been bombing Gaza continuously and declared a siege, cutting off water, power and other supplies from Palestine. 

Humanitarian aid was only allowed to enter for the first time this morning through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.