Al-Qalam 
Never before has a simultaneous global Palestine protest action of this magnitude been done, writes Ismail Suder
Durban will be joining millions of people across the world to stage synchronised protest actions on October 10, calling on Governments and businesses to end their complicity with Israel – a move that is seen as an earthquake in terms of simultaneous global action.
Mandla Mandela, prominent solidarity activist for Palestine, made a heartfelt plea for all people in South Africa to participate in the Global Alliance for Palestine (GAFP) protest actions across our towns and cities.
The major campaign, aptly called the “Global Day of Action” was announced by the Global Alliance for Palestine (GAFP) on Monday, which is calling on thousands of grassroots organisations, trade unions, student networks, and civil society groups across Asia, the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East to be part of this mammoth campaign.
The core demands are for an immediate arms embargo against Israel; the implementation of economic and political sanctions, support for the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) Movement, and an end to international complicity in the war on Gaza.
The mobilisation is backed by an international steering committee featuring prominent figures including Jeremy Corbyn, Mustafa Barghouti, and Yanis Varoufakis.
In Durban, Saydoon Nisa Sayed, the Coordinator for the South Africa Palestine Movement (SAPM), told Al-Qalam that the group was busy planning protest events as part of the Global Day of Action from October 7-10.
“The South Africa Palestine Movement (SAPM) will join people of conscience across the globe for the main event on 10 October 2026 in a Global Day of Action marking three years of the ongoing genocide and catastrophic suffering of the Palestinian people. Three years of death, destruction, displacement and deprivation cannot become normal.
“SAPM calls on South Africans to turn solidarity into action. We must demand an end to the killing, an end to the occupation and apartheid, unrestricted humanitarian assistance, accountability for international crimes, and the freedom and self-determination of the Palestinian people.
“South Africa has a historic responsibility to continue standing on the side of justice. Our own history reminds us that apartheid and oppression can be defeated when people unite and refuse to remain silent,” she added.
She said that, building up to the main Global Day of Action on October 10, the SAPM will host an event on October 7, marking three years of genocide.
Meanwhile, Mandla Mandela – an icon of the Palestine cause – has called on every civil society organisation, trade unions, student movements and community networks across our lands to “stand with us.”
“On Saturday, October 10, coordinated by the Global Alliance for Palestine, we will reclaim our streets and demand tangible accountability against the Occupation state. We are taking collective action globally to force the world’s attention back to the issue of Palestine. Make no mistake, this is not limited to Israel’s devastating genocide in Gaza. The state-backed Settler violence and systematic land seizures across the West Bank reveal a single, relentless campaign to erase Palestinian lives. After more than 1400 days of destruction, empty international statements and hollow promises are unacceptable. We do not ask for gestures; we demand uncompromising political actions, an immediate arms embargo, targeted sanctions and full BDS accountability
“I urge every movement, every leader and every community to answer this call. Move from words to intervention between October 9 to 11. Mobilise your people, register your local actions, and join this Global Day of Action. Stand with us. Hit the streets and turn our collective resolve into unstoppable for justice”, Mandela pleaded.
The global event is expected to generate massive global news coverage.
