Mission statement
Families for Palestine is a grassroots movement that emerged in response to the bombardment of Gaza by “israel” and ongoing genocide in Palestine (Nakba 1948), which is rooted in a historical backdrop of ethnic cleansing and apartheid.
We operate based on the principles of Palestinian Al Thawabit – the fundamental, inviolable national rights including the right to resistance, the right to self-determination, liberation from the River to the Sea, Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as the capital of Palestine, and the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes – as well as the demands of First Nations grassroots activists in so-called Australia, including sovereignty, truth-telling, land rights, cultural preservation, justice, and environmental stewardship.
We are further committed to a politics and ethics of collective care, love, and dignity. We recognise that this commitment also requires us to look within and among ourselves, to sit with discomfort, and to hold ourselves and our communities to account, with love and compassion, in a process of continuous un- and re-learning. As such, we seek to create collective spaces of care, resistance, healing, and liberation.
Together we are committed to making a meaningful impact demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire, an end to the genocide in Gaza, the incursions in the occupied West Bank, and lifting of the siege in Gaza. We invite everyone to join us in community, solidarity, and action for a free Palestine.
Our Story
Families for Palestine is a grassroots community group formed in November 2023 in response to ‘israel’s’ bombardment of Gaza and the Australian government’s lack of meaningful action in the face of what we see as ongoing genocide. Our group began when a small group of mothers and children started protesting outside the office of ‘prime minister’ Anthony Albanese in Marrickville on unceded Gadigal Land (NSW, so-called Australia).
Since then, we have organised numerous events, including fundraisers, protests, vigils, snap actions, children’s activities, solidarity markets, movie screenings, digital campaigns, advocacy, connecting with newly arrived Palestinians, and volunteering for many other actions within the justice movement.
What we do
Families for Palestine actively engages in community-building, fostering solidarity, and taking meaningful action. We organise and/or participate in tangible initiatives such as weekly sit-ins, weekend protests, and educational workshops.
Community:
- We seek to empower individuals to connect and build community within their immediate environment through initiatives like coffee meet-ups.
- We aim to create inclusive spaces for families and to help kids participate in the events in an age-appropriate way.*
Solidarity:
- We seek to support and amplify the voices and businesses of Palestinian peoples, both in Australia and abroad.
- Through BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions), we advocate for justice and equality for all Palestinians.
Action:
- We participate in protests to raise awareness and promote change.
- Our commitment extends to providing case-by-case support for Palestinian families arriving in Australia as refugees.
We believe in true solidarity – seeing someone else’s struggle as connected to your own and taking meaningful action. It’s not about doing what feels good or easy – it’s about what’s needed. It means doing the hard, often unglamorous work that justice demands. True solidarity is about sharing risk, resources, and hope.
Our demands
- Immediate, permanent, and unconditional ceasefire
- End to the genocide in Gaza
- Establishment of a humanitarian corridor and aid transperancy
- Australia to re-establish consular support for Palestinians with families in Australia
- Investigation into Australian citizens serving with the Zionist Occupation Forces
- Lift the siege in Gaza
- Halt incursions in the occupied West Bank
- Australia to support South African’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice
- Implement BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanctions) at the local, State, and Federal levels.
- Right of return for all Palestinians
Families for Palestine 