From an episode of The Grapevine∙Presented by Kirby Fary
Interview
The Grapevine: Michael Shaik from Free Palestine Melbourne
Michael Shaik is a member of Free Palestine Melbourne and has been involved in pro-Palestinian activism for more than 20 years. He was based in the West Bank in the early 2000s, working as a media coordinator for the International Solidarity Movement.
He chats to Kirby (filling in for Dylan) about his experience of organising in both occupied Palestinian territories and in local solidarity efforts, as well as the historical trajectory of the occupation and his lived experiences that led to him being one of the organisers of Free Palestine Melbourne. They also discuss the weekly Sunday rallies where thousands of people have been marching to demand an end to the violence, and how supporters can avoid burnout when 'solidarity is an action, and a verb'. They also re-iterate the false sentiment that being pro-Palestine equals anti-semitism, and much more.
Freedom for the Palestinian people from apartheid, occupation, and a ruthless war industry.