Pro-Palestinian activists in Vilnius urge Lithuania to impose sanctions on Israel

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - Dozens of pro-Palestinian activists gathered in central Vilnius on Monday to urge the Lithuanian government to impose sanctions on Israel over its ongoing military operations in the Gaza Strip, according to Lithuania's state-run news agency.

Marching along Gedimino Avenue, protesters carried Palestinian flags and banners, reading: “This is not a war, this is genocide,” “Sanctions for Israel,” and “Children are not terrorists, hospitals are not battlefields," LRT news reported.

They called for an immediate halt to what they described as a humanitarian catastrophe caused by Israel’s intensified military campaign.

Organizers of the rally, including the groups The Young Left and Palestina.lt, said the Lithuanian government must reconsider its position towards Israel in light of repeated violations of international law.

“We are calling on Lithuania to take a principled stand and impose targeted sanctions on Israel,” the organizers said, urging citizens to send letters to Lithuanian officials, demanding accountability and concrete action.

Since March 2, Israel has kept all border crossings shut, cutting off the entry of food, medicine, fuel, and other essential supplies for Gaza’s 2.4 million residents.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army continued to blow up homes and buildings in eastern Gaza City and eastern Khan Younis in southern Gaza, witnesses said.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, Israel has pursued a devastating offensive in Gaza since October 2023, killing over 54,400 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among the enclave's more than 2 million.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.