Brandon Johnstone attributed the recent increase in numbers at local protests to the existential threat facing the people of Palestine.
"We've seen waves of Palestinian solidarity before that have fallen away. But this is different — this is an existential threat."
There were at least 200 people at the protest in the Octagon on Saturday, which joined the International Day of Action for Palestine, and called for sanctions on Israel ahead of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
In the past month, rallies had attracted up to 400 people.
It was very encouraging to see people from different houses of faith, different unions and different sections of the community turn up to support Dunedin Palestinian families, Mr Johnstone said.
"In a situation where our decision-makers aren't doing [anything], aren't living up to their obligations, only the grassroots can shift anything."
Our own leaders were too concerned with pleasing the likes of United States President Donald Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he said.
"In the face of apartheid Israel’s brutal genocide of Palestinians, our government has shuffled its feet and repeatedly made excuses for its spineless non-action."
Mr Johnstone said people would not be distracted and would be in the streets again and again until "Israel is restrained and Palestinians can build their own future — free from violent military occupation".
