Culture

Millions of Protesters Put Pressure on Israel to Cease Fire on Palestine


 

Millions around the globe mobilized in solidarity with Palestine this weekend to commemorate Nakba Day, otherwise known as the anniversary of the Palestinian Catastrophe. The observance, which occurs on May 15 every year, marks the displacement of the Palestinian people in 1948 and the destruction of Palestinian culture, which many activists say is an ongoing process.

The demonstrations held particular resonance this year, as Israel continues to carry out airstrikes on the Palestinian city of Gaza and threatens to displace families residing in the predominately Palestinian neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem.

The current wave of violence began when Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian civilians at Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is considered one of the holiest sites in Islam, in the midst of Ramadan. International attention to the conflict spiked when Israel destroyed the al-Jalaa building, which housed several floors of apartments in addition to the offices of several international media outlets, including the Associated Press and Al Jazeera. Occupants were given an hour’s notice to evacuate.

Although Israel claimed that the terrorist organization Hamas was housed in the building, occupants who had lived and worked there for years stated that there was no evidence to back that, according to Al-Jazeera’s own reporting.

As the onslaught continues, Israel has shown no signs of abating. More airstrikes occured Monday morning, despite mounting international pressure for a ceasefire.

The global calls to end the violence against Palestine included thousands of protestors who mobilized on Saturday in the south Brooklyn neighborhood of Bay Ridge, a largely Arab neighborhood, and stopped traffic on a nearby freeway. Within Our Lifetime Palestine, one of the community organizations that organized the protest, estimated a crowd of 50,000 attendees.

“We are empowered by Palestinian resistance back home, and Palestinian resistance here in New York City,” the organization wrote in an Instagram caption. “Protesting is a form of resistance, and we showed that we are United as a community in support of ALL FORMS OF PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE.”

Marches took place all over the U.S. and around the world. On Sunday, dozens mobilized in Charleston, South Carolina in support of Palestine, including 10-year-old Habiba Alquza, whose parents are Palestinian migrants.

“I feel like if they [parents] didn’t leave, I would be in the same situation they are in. I could be hurt, my family could be hurt,” Alquza said to the local news outlet WCSC-TV. “Especially with corona now, you have two things hurting you. You have to be worried about almost everything.”

The West Coast also saw enormous demonstrations in support of Palestine over the weekend. Thousands took to San Francisco’s Mission District and the Los Angeles neighborhood of Westwood to chant “Free Palestine” and march in solidarity with those under siege.

The rapper NoName also used her platform to share details of protests in a number of other American cities, including Dallas, San Diego, Cincinnati, and Philadelphia.

Across the Atlantic, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Paris in support of the occupied nation, even despite the French government issuing a ban on pro-Palestine demonstrations days prior. According to the Associated Press, the crowds — which were largely peaceful — were met with tear gas and rubber bullets fired by Parisian police.

The mass demonstrations represent a turning point for the Palestinian conflict, which has been viewed as a fringe issue by many until recently.

It also could shift perceptions of the long support for Israel by the U.S. government. Over the past week, the U.S. has twice blocked a United Nations statement condemning the violence in Palestine, with President Joe Biden stating in a recent press conference that “Israel has a right to defend itself.” But as Al-Jazeera reports, those ties have led to internal backlash within the federal government: Some U.S. lawmakers have privately questioned the White House’s recent decision to sell $735 million in arms to Israel.

According to Al-Jazeera, nearly 200 people — including 58 children and 34 women — have been killed in the Gaza strip since last week. Israel has reported 10 casualties, including two children.

Get the best of what’s queer. Sign up for them.’s weekly newsletter here.



READ NEWS SOURCE

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.