Gaza, we hear your cry

July 17, 2014

A SocialistWorker.org roundup of protests across the U.S. against Israel's war.

ISRAEL CONTINUES to escalate its war of terror in Gaza after a cease-fire announced without the agreement of Hamas and other Palestinian factions predictably failed.

Instead, Israel went on the offensive with a barrage of new air strikes--and warnings to 100,000 residents of northern Gaza to flee their homes or risk becoming the next casualties.

As of this writing, Israel has killed more than 222 people in Gaza since the beginning of "Operative Protective Edge," and more than 1,600 Palestinians have been injured. Nearly 80 percent of those killed were civilians, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and more than 34 of the dead were children. This carnage compares to one Israeli killed while delivering food to Israeli soldiers and a couple dozen wounded.

Across the U.S., organizers held emergency demonstrations to respond to Israel's collective punishment of Palestinians and its multiple violations of international law, as well as to call on the U.S. to end its policy of giving Israel massive economic and military aid year after year.

Chicagoans march in solidarity with Palestine against the murderous Israeli assault on Gaza
Chicagoans march in solidarity with Palestine against the murderous Israeli assault on Gaza (Bob Simpson | SW)

In Chicago, between 1,000 and 1,500 demonstrators waving Palestinian flags and chanting massed at the entrance to Grant Park on July 12. One linked Boeing Corp., whose headquarters is in downtown Chicago, to the air strikes. Another speaker rallied support for the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement that aims to put economic pressure on Israeli apartheid.

The crowd was made up of Palestinian youth and families, members of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), antiwar activists and many others keen to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their brothers and sisters in Gaza.

"I'm here because of the genocide going on in Palestine," said Abdul Shaqildi, as demonstrators began to march into the center of downtown. The march filled two city blocks as it made its way toward Daley Plaza, with participants chanting, "We want justice, you say how? End the siege of Gaza now!"

Shaqildi, who attended two previous demonstrations this week, says his own experience in Palestine informed his decision to come out to the demonstration today. Born in the U.S., Shaqildi visited the West Bank with his Palestinian family where he also participated in protests. "I've seen what Israel does," he said. "It's not justice. Israel is attacking innocents."

"Every time Israel wants to get someone from Hamas, they go and demolish houses, kill civilians," said a Palestinian woman who wished to remain anonymous. "They say [the houses] are sheltering terrorists, but they are people's homes. It's not a war, it's a genocide."

In New York City, half a dozen protests have been called in the last week, drawing out between hundreds and thousands to each. The tenor has varied from rage at Israel's assault to mourning for the dead. A wide range of people have come out, from those at their first protest to veteran Palestine solidarity activists, as well as anti-police brutality activists, disability rights activists and more.

The largest protest so far took place at the Israeli consulate in midtown Manhattan, estimated by some to be as large as 4,000. Author and activist Max Blumenthal took the stage to tell the crowd: "This is not a conflict. This is a conquest."

Days later, a group of New York legislators held an early morning press conference to announce their unyielding support for Israel while more than 100 protesters spoiled their photo op, chanting, "Not another nickel for Israel's crimes!" and "New York to Palestine, ethnic cleansing is a crime!"

At least three more protests have been planned for the coming weeks, including a funeral procession on July 18.

In Seattle, more than 300 people marched through downtown chanting, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!" on July 12.

People from as far away as Everett, 30 miles to the north, and Tacoma, 35 miles to the south, gathered to express their outrage at the relentless bombing of Gaza by Israel. For the second Saturday in a row, Palestinians, other Arabs, Muslims from many countries and supporters of Palestinian rights let the people of Seattle know that it is time to end U.S. aid to Israel. "Not a nickel, not a dime, no more aid to Israel's crimes!" echoed off Seattle's skyscrapers.

The rally had to use the sidewalk since security guards and police refused to let demonstrators use the open downtown park at Westlake Mall due to "lack of a permit"--even though the park was unoccupied except by shoppers and tourists passing through.

The rally was organized by members of various mosques in the area, Voices of Palestine, and the Palestine Solidarity Committee. The protest was largely made up largely of young Arabs and Muslims with women especially prominent in leading the chants. Chants of "Resistance is justified when people are occupied" were particularly popular. Students from several local colleges and universities discussed how to get their schools to join the BDS movement.

Many were outraged at Obama's call for "both sides" to de-escalate the conflict--as if there is any moral or military equivalence between the world's fourth-most powerful military and an oppressed and occupied people fighting for survival.

After marching twice along downtown sidewalks, the rally concluded near the park with an urgent call to return the following week on July 19 at Noon at Westlake Park. And on July 25 at 4:30 p.m., a large rally that had already been planned will take place calling for peace in the Middle East.

In San Francisco, several hundred people rallied in Justin Herman Plaza on July 12 and then marched down Market Street to UN Plaza. The crowd was young and spirited, and it took over Market Street as it made its way through the city.

During the march, demonstrators entered the Westfield Mall and did a drop of a very large Palestinian flag from one of the higher floors. One of the most resounding chants on the march was "Let Gaza live!" The demonstration was anchored by the Arab Youth Organization of the Arab Resource and Organizing Center and supported by a number of other organizations, including the ISO.

On July 7, approximately 250 people demonstrated outside the Israeli Consulate July 7 and then marched down Market Street to Union Square. The crowd, which was largely made up of young people of Palestinian and Arab descent, was spirited. Zionist extremists showed up for a counter-protest, but their numbers were noticeably smaller than they have been at similar demonstrations in the past. The demonstration was hosted by ANSWER and supported by a number of other organizations.

In Philadelphia, close to 250 people, mostly young and Palestinian, took to the streets. The Temple SJP chapter attended in force. The crowd dwarfed a tiny counter-protest of four. Passing cars gave honks of solidarity, but one SJP member still managed to overhear a plainclothes cop say that they hadn't expected the protest to be so large.

In Indianapolis, more than 100 people rallied and marched through downtown on July 12. This was the largest pro-Palestinian public demonstration in Indiana since the start of the BDS movement.

Passersby honked horns and waved flags in solidarity with the demonstrators. A second emergency demonstration will take place downtown on July 19, during which demonstrators will march to the office of U.S. Sen. Dan Coats, a co-sponsor of U.S. Senate Resolution 498 defending Israel's illegal bombing campaign.

In Lafayette, Ind., 30 people, including members of Purdue SJP, Arab and Muslim students and members of the Lafayette Peace Coalition, rallied at Riehle Plaza in downtown Lafayette on July 10. BDS activist Tithi Bhattacharya rallied the crowd, describing Israeli bullets and bombs paid for by U.S. taxpayers raining down on the children of Gaza.

In Rochester, N.Y., more than 80 people gathered in front of the Federal Building on just a day's notice to protest Israel's escalating assault. Called by Rochester Against War and the International Socialist Organization, the emergency response rally drew many more than expected.

As the rally grew, whole families, teenagers and local allies joined in chants like, "Gaza, Gaza, don't you cry, we won't ever let you die" and "Israel and Obama, end the occupation." After a march to Main Street and the busiest intersection in the city, protesters gathered back at the Federal Building where names of the more than 100 killed so far were read aloud in between speeches from local Palestinians and Palestine Solidarity activists.

The rally showed that a growing core of activists and community members from all over Rochester are outraged at yet another assault by Israel and want to continue fighting for justice in Palestine. Many agreed that this, unfortunately, is the beginning of a series of actions that hope to galvanize many more to stand up the Israel's brutal assault and U.S. complicity.

In Burlington, Vt., more than 80 people answered the call for solidarity with Gaza. Protesters included SJP members, the Peace and Justice Center, the Vermont Workers' Center and the ISO. "I talked to my four-year-old daughter on the phone, and she told me our next door neighbor had been killed," said Aiman Nijim of Gaza as she described the brutality of living under siege. "My daughter will grow up knowing she has enemies."

Other speakers drew the connection between the siege of Gaza and militarism in Burlington where the F-35 fighter planes are slated to be based. Many passersby joined the protest, and plans were made to march on downtown this coming weekend.

In Hartford, Conn., 80 protesters gathered on July 7 to demand an end to U.S. aid to Israel and an end to the Israeli occupation. On July 10, 60 demonstrators gathered in New Haven, Conn. A simultaneous protest demanding immigration reform voiced solidarity with the Palestine solidarity demonstration. Both groups of demonstrators drew links between the displacement of Palestinians and the struggle of undocumented children held in camps. Additional demonstrations are planned for July 18 in Hartford and July 19 in New Haven.

Amien Essif, Sojun John Godfrey, Steve Leigh, Brian Lenzo, Eric Maroney, Bill Mullen, Sid Patel and Lilian Wehbe contributed to this article.

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