Gaza battle reminds Vietnam of liberation battle as soon as shared with Palestine | Israel Conflict on Gaza Information

Hanoi, Vietnam – At a non-public venue tucked away in a slim alley in Hanoi’s metropolis centre, a gaggle of greater than 20 individuals listened attentively to Saleem Hammad, a charismatic, 30-year-old Palestinian man, as he spoke in fluent Vietnamese.

Hammad, who runs a enterprise in Vietnam, shared an incident from his childhood in Jenin within the occupied West Financial institution.

These current listened as he recounted a vivid reminiscence of being awoken one night time as Israeli troopers surrounded and raided his household dwelling.

Earlier, he had informed these attending the dialogue that Vietnam’s historical past of combating for liberation towards the USA had impressed Palestinians of their battle towards Israel’s occupation of their lands.

”Vietnamese individuals, with their painful and wonderful historical past, have all the time been the supply of inspiration for the Palestinians in our battle for justice,” Hammad informed his viewers.

“We all the time look as much as you because the function mannequin.”

Horrified by Israel’s battle on Gaza and the spiralling dying toll, primarily younger Vietnamese individuals have begun to boost their voices in assist of Palestinians. Within the course of, they’re discovering historic ties between Vietnam and Palestine and their shared fights for nationwide liberation.

However the decades-old relationship between the 2 nations has been overshadowed by more moderen promotion of Israel’s enterprise tradition to a youthful era of Vietnamese.

Centered on reaching success in Vietnam’s fast-growing free market economic system, many have been impressed by Israel’s startup enterprise tradition whereas understanding little in regards to the darker facet of Israel’s success by way of its lengthy occupation of Palestinian land.

Organised late final 12 months by pro-Palestinian activists Trinh* and Vuong*, the gathering the place Hammad spoke was impressed by the scholar activism the pair encountered whereas learning within the US.

Trinh and Vuong are a part of a burgeoning grassroots motion amongst Vietnamese youth who’ve been drawn to the Palestinian trigger for the reason that battle on Gaza began in October.

However Vietnam’s strict insurance policies towards public assemblies and political activism means pro-Palestinian campaigners need to give you low-key and inventive methods of organising occasions with out attracting the undesirable consideration of Vietnamese authorities.

In Ho Chi Minh Metropolis, Trinh and a few associates have organised discussions on Palestine and drawing courses with a Palestinian theme. A designer by coaching, Trinh has additionally labored with fellow creatives to design pro-Palestine merchandise, political artwork and fanzines.

In November, a screening of documentaries and movies on Palestine, the Nakba and the historical past of Israel’s occupation of Palestine passed off below the title Movies for Liberation: Palestine Endlessly with the purpose, based on the organisers, of undoing ”the demonising descriptions of the Palestinians” by ”Western and imperialist” actors.

On social media, a bunch of Vietnamese-language fan pages has sprung up that includes translated Palestinian poems, pro-Palestine paintings and analyses on the historical past of the battle whereas the embassy of Palestine in Vietnam invited former veterans of the battle towards the US, teachers, activists and members of the general public to a commemoration for these killed in Gaza.

On November 29, which is the United Nations-designated Worldwide Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian Folks, Vietnam’s authorities additionally revealed a message from then-President Vo Van Thuong wherein he spoke of the lengthy historical past of fraternity between Vietnam and Palestine and ”Vietnam’s sturdy assist and solidarity with the Palestinians of their battle for justice”.

However the relationship between Vietnam and Palestine is just not because it as soon as was.