Jewish protesters in New York call for a 'free Palestine' amid Gaza attacks
The New Arab Staff & Agencies
14 October, 2023
Large protests took place across New York, including one involving Jewish organisations opposed to the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
The protests in solidarity with Gaza included people from all religious backgrounds [Getty]
Cries of "Free Palestine" rang out in New York on Friday, as thousands of protesters took to the streets to denounce Israeli bombings in the Gaza Strip.
Calling for an end to Israeli occupation and the liberation of the Palestinian territories, protesters took up multiple blocks in a city that serves as a crossroads for religions and nationalities spanning the world.
The protest -- which drew demonstrators of all origins, some sporting Palestinian flags and keffiyehs -- accused Israel of "genocide" and called for the US to withdraw support for its Middle Eastern ally.
One of the protests was organised by Jewish Voice for Peace.
Hamas fighters from Gaza burst through the heavily militarized border into Israel on Saturday, killing more than 1,300 people, most of them civilians.
Israel has responded with fierce and indiscriminate missile strikes on the densely populated enclave, flattening entire districts and killing at least 1,900 Gazans - again mostly civilians, including more than 600 children.
Thousands are attempting to flee to southern Gaza after Israel warned them to evacuate before an expected ground offensive.
"I'm extremely worried, this has to stop," said Liz Zacharia, a professor attending the march.
"The settler colonial project of Israel has to end now," said Zacharia, whose father was from Jerusalem, adding that it feeds a growing "cycle of violence" and "oppression of Palestinians."
"From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," protesters chanted.
Multiple protests
In Brooklyn, dozens of protesters were arrested on Friday night as they held a sit-in blocking traffic after demonstrating in front of the home of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, who is planning to travel with a congressional delegation to Israel.
Called by the organization Jewish Voice for Peace, which has urged elected officials to "stop genocide against Palestinians in Gaza," the protest drew a mass of protesters in front of a strong police presence.
Those arrested included two elected officials, rabbis and descendants of Holocaust survivors.
About 200 pro-Palestinian demonstrators also gathered in the southern US city of Miami.
A heavy police presence guarded the protest and made sure to keep a distance between it and the dozen pro-Israel demonstrators across the street.
Anas Amireh, 51, a businessman and the son of Palestinian immigrants, said that responding to the killings of innocents in Israel with "another genocide... in the Gaza Strip is a criminal war and it is wrong."
"I feel it's my duty, not just as a Muslim, but also as a human being, to see everyone show up because of the crimes that the Israel occupation has caused upon the Palestinian people," said Laibah Faiaz, a 21-year-old New York protester.
"No one is acknowledging the scale of destruction that they've unleashed upon these innocent people," she added.
New York, home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, has been the scene of a series of demonstrations in support of the Palestinian cause as well as vigils and demonstrations in solidarity with the Israeli victims of Hamas attacks.
Protests have popped up on college campuses across the US as well.
Columbia University pro-Palestine solidarity march draws hundreds
The New Arab Staff
14 October, 2023
Thursday’s rally at Columbia University drew hundreds of pro-Palestinian supporters who advocated for a halt to ferocious attacks on Gaza which have killed thousands
Pro-Palestine rally takes place at Columbia University [Getty]
Hundreds of students gathered at Columbia University in New York to protest against the ongoing attacks by Israel in Gaza on Thursday.
Pro-Israeli students at Columbia, led by Students Supporting Israel (SSI), were also present to take part in a counter protest.
Organizers from Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Columbia/Barnard Jewish Voice for Peace (JWP) led Thursday's pro Palestine protest, as participants discussed the struggle against Zionism, apartheid and racism.
According to Patch, a speaker at the rally said he "urged universities, including CUNY, in which all students have the safety to express their political opinions [to] persist in their non-violent, protected speech."
The Columbia Spectator reported that protesters have spoken out about an ‘atmosphere of fear among Muslim students on campus’.
Many students from the SJP group donned face masks, coverings or kuffiyahs- as an Instagram post by Columbia SJP explained it would help provide ‘safety from doxxing’.
This comes after Harvard University’s Palestine Solidarity Committee and other student organisations have faced doxxing attacks and death threats, after issuing a statement condemning Israel’s ‘ongoing annihilation of Palestinians' amid the Gaza-Israel war.
Tensions ensued during the opposing demonstrations when a number of counter-protesters at Columbia shouted angrily at the pro-Palestinian group- with a pro-Israel protester yelling during a moment of silence for Palestinian victims.
Certain Israeli students have claimed that they have felt unsafe on campus in the wake of the ongoing conflict. Pro-Israel supporters claimed that Thursday’s pro-Palestinian rally was ‘celebrating death’.
A pro-Palestinian protester argued however that the purpose of the protest is to “live free from occupation, free from colonial brutality, free from the violence that Israel constantly is constantly throwing at them”.
The Palestinian death toll from Israel's strikes on Gaza is currently 2,200, with 40 per cent of casualties believed to be children.
She added, “That level of violence against Palestinians is very rarely discussed. Entire families have been killed.”
While a 24-year-old student was allegedly beaten with a stick ‘for being Israeli’ outside Columbia’s Butler Library on Wednesday, two Jewish and two individuals of Middle Eastern background were also reportedly targeted during Thursday’s demonstration after waving a Palestinian flag and holding a sign which said, ‘End the War’.
A man was accused of grabbing their Palestinian flag and proceeding to beat one of them with it.
The New York Times additionally said that pro-Palestinian demonstrators during the protests were often subjected to racial harassment, such as being called ‘terrorists’ or ‘animals’.
In the lead up to Thursday’s protests, Columbia’s campus site would only be open to Columbia ID holders on the day of the protests ‘to ensure campus safety’.
Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of DAWN, shared concerns about the University restricting access to the public. Media reporters were later spotted filming the rallies at Columbia’s College Walk, which is the main route into Columbia's campus.
She tweeted, “Germany bans pro-Palestine protests. UK bans display of Palestine flag. NY law firm fires student promised job for pro-Palestine comments.”
“And now Columbia University bans reporters from covering protests. This isn’t even a US war.”
Meanwhile, at The University of Arizona, the Tucson chapter of SJP announced the cancellation of a protest on Thursday- citing safety concerns after the school's president called the gathering "antithetical to our university's values."
Several students from the University of California’s chapter of SJP marched for Palestine on Thursday, despite the group's report that its student members had been harassed and assaulted over the last several days, including while counter-protesting a pro-Israel rally.
At Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., the SJP chapter chose to host a vigil on Thursday night but declined to allow media access "due to increased harassment and threats of violence against Palestinian, Arab, Muslim and anti-Zionist students across the country."
America's reaction to escalating violence amid the Israel-Hamas war
Communities in the U.S. were horrified by the recent Middle East violence, sparking rallies and memorials across America.
By Alexandra Miller
Oct 14, 2023
For communities across the United States, the violence in the Middle East this week was horrific. News of kidnappings, killings, destruction, and bloodshed in both Israel and the Gaza Strip inspired rallies, memorials, and protests.
A war more than five thousand miles away is felt acutely at home.
In a show of solidarity, the White House lit up in the blue and white colors of the Israeli flag, and across the country, rallies and memorials were held after the most recent attack by the terrorist group Hamas killed more than 1,300 people in Israel.
The United States is often considered one of Israel's strongest allies.
On top of the $260 billion in U.S. government aid sent to the country since World War II, some groups estimate that private U.S. philanthropic organizations donate around two billion dollars annually to Israeli nonprofits.
Many of those organizations are now calling on their communities to help those affected by the invasion from Hamas.
"This morning, we opened up an emergency campaign to raise dollars, and one hundred percent of those dollars raised will go directly to our partners on the ground in Israel,” said Megan Weintraub, Chief Philanthropy Officer at Jewish Nevada.
Organizations like Jewish Nevada are supporting immediate relief efforts to aid survivors of the attack and rebuild damaged infrastructure.
"I can't say that I have the solution to peace in the Middle East. What I do know is that our community believes in a two-state solution, our community believes in democracy, and our community believes in human dignity,” said Miryam Rosenzweig, President and CEO, Milwaukee Jewish Federation.
But apart from solidarity rallies in support of Israel, others in the U.S. are rallying behind Palestinians and protesting Israel's influence over Gaza.
Groups like the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, a nonprofit founded in the U.S., are mobilizing to provide medical aid and essential supplies to the children injured and left homeless by the bombings in Gaza.
"We are not here to celebrate. We are here because something tragic has happened,” said Imam Suleiman Hani, Director of Academic Affairs at Almaghrib Institute.
"We just want freedom for the Palestinians back home. What they're going through is not easy,” said protester Laila Abu Taha.
"It's a scary situation for both sides. Retaliation is something that people are worried about,” said Jamilah Arabiyat, President of Students for Justice in Palestine.
Many activists worry the continued retaliatory strike will come at the cost of more lives.
"We do not condone the loss of lives, but we do not accept that Israeli lives triumph over Palestinian lives,” said Mohamad Abdelsalam, Representative at Palestine Aid Society.
As the rallies and protests continue across the country, several people are concerned that the rhetoric in support of Palestinians justifies the violence of Hamas against Israelis.
Since last Saturday, more than 2,800 people have died amid the Hamas-Israel war. Over 1,300 Israelis and over 1,500 Gazans.
Communities in the U.S. were horrified by the recent Middle East violence, sparking rallies and memorials across America.
By Alexandra Miller
Oct 14, 2023
For communities across the United States, the violence in the Middle East this week was horrific. News of kidnappings, killings, destruction, and bloodshed in both Israel and the Gaza Strip inspired rallies, memorials, and protests.
A war more than five thousand miles away is felt acutely at home.
In a show of solidarity, the White House lit up in the blue and white colors of the Israeli flag, and across the country, rallies and memorials were held after the most recent attack by the terrorist group Hamas killed more than 1,300 people in Israel.
The United States is often considered one of Israel's strongest allies.
On top of the $260 billion in U.S. government aid sent to the country since World War II, some groups estimate that private U.S. philanthropic organizations donate around two billion dollars annually to Israeli nonprofits.
Many of those organizations are now calling on their communities to help those affected by the invasion from Hamas.
"This morning, we opened up an emergency campaign to raise dollars, and one hundred percent of those dollars raised will go directly to our partners on the ground in Israel,” said Megan Weintraub, Chief Philanthropy Officer at Jewish Nevada.
Organizations like Jewish Nevada are supporting immediate relief efforts to aid survivors of the attack and rebuild damaged infrastructure.
"I can't say that I have the solution to peace in the Middle East. What I do know is that our community believes in a two-state solution, our community believes in democracy, and our community believes in human dignity,” said Miryam Rosenzweig, President and CEO, Milwaukee Jewish Federation.
The U.S. is seeking ways to help civilians trapped in between the fighting among Israel and Hamas.LEARN MORE
But apart from solidarity rallies in support of Israel, others in the U.S. are rallying behind Palestinians and protesting Israel's influence over Gaza.
Groups like the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, a nonprofit founded in the U.S., are mobilizing to provide medical aid and essential supplies to the children injured and left homeless by the bombings in Gaza.
"We are not here to celebrate. We are here because something tragic has happened,” said Imam Suleiman Hani, Director of Academic Affairs at Almaghrib Institute.
"We just want freedom for the Palestinians back home. What they're going through is not easy,” said protester Laila Abu Taha.
"It's a scary situation for both sides. Retaliation is something that people are worried about,” said Jamilah Arabiyat, President of Students for Justice in Palestine.
Many activists worry the continued retaliatory strike will come at the cost of more lives.
"We do not condone the loss of lives, but we do not accept that Israeli lives triumph over Palestinian lives,” said Mohamad Abdelsalam, Representative at Palestine Aid Society.
As the rallies and protests continue across the country, several people are concerned that the rhetoric in support of Palestinians justifies the violence of Hamas against Israelis.
Since last Saturday, more than 2,800 people have died amid the Hamas-Israel war. Over 1,300 Israelis and over 1,500 Gazans.
Statements on Gaza by US rep. Tlaib, other squad members spark backlash
Brooke Anderson
Washington, D.C.
10 October, 2023
Ritchie Torres, an outspoken supporter of Israel in Congress, has been making repeated statements on social media about how people should and should not react to the ongoing conflict.
Rashida Tlaib and other progressives are facing backlash for comments on Gaza and Israel. [Getty]
US Representative Rashida Tlaib took to social media late Sunday to give a highly anticipated statement about the surprise attack from Gaza on Israel that began early Saturday morning local time.
As could be expected, she, along with several other members of the progressive squad in the US House, faced backlash from both Democrats and Republicans for their statements, which included calling Israel an apartheid state.
"I grieve the Palestinian and Israeli lives lost yesterday, today, and every day. I am determined as ever to fight for a just future where everyone can live in peace, without fear and with true freedom, equal rights, and human dignity," Tlaib wrote on Instagram.
"The path to that future must include lifting the blockade, ending the occupation, and dismantling the apartheid system that creates the suffocating, dehumanizing conditions that can lead to resistance," she continued.
She concluded by writing, "The failure to recognize the violent reality of living under siege, occupation, and apartheid makes no one safer. No person, no child anywhere, should have to suffer or live in fear of violence. We cannot ignore the humanity in each other."
Fellow squad member, Representative Cori Bush of Missouri, was also blasted for referring to Israel as having an apartheid system and appearing to blame Israel for the attacks from Gaza.
"Violations of human rights do not justify more violations of human rights, and a military response will only exacerbate the suffering of Palestinians and Israelis alike," Bush said on X, formerly Twitter. "As part of achieving a just and lasting peace, we must do our part to stop this violence and trauma by ending US government support for Israeli military occupation and apartheid."
Of the squad members, Representative Ilhan Omar seems to be the most outspoken on the matter, writing multiple social media posts calling for an end to US military aid to Israel and for equal rights for Palestinians.
Rashida Tlaib defiantly leads Nakba day in Washington
Brooke Anderson
Washington, D.C.
10 October, 2023
Ritchie Torres, an outspoken supporter of Israel in Congress, has been making repeated statements on social media about how people should and should not react to the ongoing conflict.
Rashida Tlaib and other progressives are facing backlash for comments on Gaza and Israel. [Getty]
US Representative Rashida Tlaib took to social media late Sunday to give a highly anticipated statement about the surprise attack from Gaza on Israel that began early Saturday morning local time.
As could be expected, she, along with several other members of the progressive squad in the US House, faced backlash from both Democrats and Republicans for their statements, which included calling Israel an apartheid state.
"I grieve the Palestinian and Israeli lives lost yesterday, today, and every day. I am determined as ever to fight for a just future where everyone can live in peace, without fear and with true freedom, equal rights, and human dignity," Tlaib wrote on Instagram.
"The path to that future must include lifting the blockade, ending the occupation, and dismantling the apartheid system that creates the suffocating, dehumanizing conditions that can lead to resistance," she continued.
She concluded by writing, "The failure to recognize the violent reality of living under siege, occupation, and apartheid makes no one safer. No person, no child anywhere, should have to suffer or live in fear of violence. We cannot ignore the humanity in each other."
Fellow squad member, Representative Cori Bush of Missouri, was also blasted for referring to Israel as having an apartheid system and appearing to blame Israel for the attacks from Gaza.
"Violations of human rights do not justify more violations of human rights, and a military response will only exacerbate the suffering of Palestinians and Israelis alike," Bush said on X, formerly Twitter. "As part of achieving a just and lasting peace, we must do our part to stop this violence and trauma by ending US government support for Israeli military occupation and apartheid."
Of the squad members, Representative Ilhan Omar seems to be the most outspoken on the matter, writing multiple social media posts calling for an end to US military aid to Israel and for equal rights for Palestinians.
Rashida Tlaib defiantly leads Nakba day in Washington
Ritchie Torres, an outspoken supporter of Israel in Congress, has been making repeated statements on social media about how people should and should not react to the ongoing conflict.
"US aid to Israel is and should be unconditional, and never more so than in this moment of critical need," the New York lawmaker told Jewish Insider, referring to his Democratic colleagues' posts. "Shame on anyone who glorifies as 'resistance' the largest single-day mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust. It is reprehensible and repulsive."
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York released a statement Monday, following a weekend of mainly staying silent on the matter, focusing on human rights and de-escalating violence.
"Today is devastating for all those seeking a lasting peace and respect for human rights in Israel and Palestine. I condemn Hamas' attack in the strongest possible terms," she said in a written statement. "No child and family should ever endure this kind of violence and fear, and this violence will not solve the ongoing oppression and occupation in the region. An immediate ceasefire and de-escalation is urgently needed to save lives."
In addition to criticising her for her statement on Gaza and Israel, several news outlets questioned why Tlaib still had a Palestinian flag in front of her congressional office.
"US aid to Israel is and should be unconditional, and never more so than in this moment of critical need," the New York lawmaker told Jewish Insider, referring to his Democratic colleagues' posts. "Shame on anyone who glorifies as 'resistance' the largest single-day mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust. It is reprehensible and repulsive."
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York released a statement Monday, following a weekend of mainly staying silent on the matter, focusing on human rights and de-escalating violence.
"Today is devastating for all those seeking a lasting peace and respect for human rights in Israel and Palestine. I condemn Hamas' attack in the strongest possible terms," she said in a written statement. "No child and family should ever endure this kind of violence and fear, and this violence will not solve the ongoing oppression and occupation in the region. An immediate ceasefire and de-escalation is urgently needed to save lives."
In addition to criticising her for her statement on Gaza and Israel, several news outlets questioned why Tlaib still had a Palestinian flag in front of her congressional office.
Palestine’s Trail of Tears
by Kevin ‘Rashid’ Johnson
Joe Biden pronounced
Amerika stands with Israel
that the US supports
genocidal plans is real
cuz it still
exists as a land built by
exterminating natives
and Afrikans killed by
being kidnapped and forcibly
enslaved
like the survivors of
the holocaust – we’re amazed
that any Blacks and Indians
are left at all
worse still Israel
has border walls
like the U.S. to exclude
the natives of the stolen land
eliminate and expel them
declare them banned
today’s only
openly apartheid state
Israel openly practices
anti-Arab and Afrikan racial hate
and if anyone proclaimed
ours are misplaced fears
Israel has compelled
a modern day trail of tears
over a million Arabs of Gaza City
ordered expelled
without the slightest pity
all ages compelled
in 24 hours to march to the
south
Israel’s military
mobilized to drive them out
just like the 1830s
the beginning
of the US campaign
of ethnic cleansing
directed at the so-called
civilized tribes
forcibly displaced thousands of miles
during which thousands died
a Trail of Tears
stretched across time
from Native America
to Palestine
Send our brother some love and light: Kevin Johnson, 1007485, Sussex 1, 24414 Musselwhite Dr., Waverly, VA 23891.
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