A LARGS campaigner has staged a one-man demonstration at one of the town’s best-known landmarks protesting against the Israeli government’s attacks on Gaza.

Harry McEachan says he chose to hold his protest at The Pencil because he believes there’s a chance Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu could have flown overhead on his way to the United States.

And while he knows there’s no chance Mr Netanyahu would have seen his protest, Harry says he felt it was important to choose a “symbolic” location to demonstrate his opposition to Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas and his desire from an immediate ceasefire.

Harry, 88, wrapped a banner around the famous monument which also mentions the speculation by some media outlets that Israel’s desire to control oil and gas reserves underneath Gaza and off its shoreline may, at least in part, be the motivation for Israel’s approach.

He told the News he believed it was important to bring global politics to a local landmark, as well as to make others aware of his position and his passion.

Harry said: "The state in Gaza and Israel since October last year is disgraceful. The initial attack by the Hamas group where 1,500 Jewish settlers, and soldiers and children were muredered is terrible,

"But the bombardment of Gaza since then is utterly disgraceful and way out of proportion for any response to that October attack.

(Image: Newsquest)

"Figures being given out now indicate there are between 30,000 and 40,000 dead.

"There must be four or five hundred United Nations aid people, including doctors and professors of child welfare, dead. There are medical professors lifted off the street by the Israeli military who have not been seen for six months.

“Netanyahu is refusing to consider a ceasefire unless he gets his way. The people must get help and the conflict must stop.

"You can't starve a whole nation into submission.”

Harry has been a well known campaigner on all sorts of community issues in Largs for many years.

He recently donned a Viking outfit to promote the Largs Viking Festival to golf fans visiting Royal Troon for the Open Championship.

But his latest protest struck a much more serious tone.

"Maybe there is oil now off the coast of Gaza, and maybe the plan is to get rid of all the people out of Gaza so that oil will become Israeli," he continued.

“Should the Palestinian people obtain a two-state solution, which is the only way this can be solved, Netanyahu will be very disappointed if there is oil and it goes to Arab people.

“I see he is having a hard time with Israeli demonstrators in the Capitol building. There are Jewish people at that protest who want the war to be stopped, and so do I.
"I want to see an immediate ceasefire with a return of the hostages."