Washington DC, 18 October 2023 (TDI): Amid the ongoing Palestine-Israel conflict in which thousands of casualties have been reported on both sides, public protests in support of their favored states have increased around the world, even in the US.
The United States (US) though a strong ally of Israel, is providing it with military aid and supplies amid the conflict and has announced full support for Israel on the governmental level, but is facing rising protests around the states.
These pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian protests have caused numerous arguments between the communities residing in America. Such protests have been held competing in several states of America.
Recently on October 14, In New York City chants of “free Palestine” resonated as thousands of demonstrators gathered to express their opposition to Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.
The protesters demanded an end to the “Israeli occupation” and the “liberation” of Palestinian territories, occupying several city blocks in a diverse metropolis representing a wide range of religions and nationalities.
Also Read: Israel-Palestine Conflict: Escalating violence & humanitarian crisis
This predominantly youthful protest, attended by individuals from various backgrounds, accused Israel of engaging in “genocide” and urged the US to discontinue its support for its Middle Eastern ally.
The protesters chanted, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” a slogan that some Jewish organizations regard as anti-Semitic.
Similarly, on October 15, in the US capital large crowds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators assembled, making their way past the White House while chanting “Free Palestine,” all while the casualty count continued to rise in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Simultaneously, on the opposite side of the country, over 1,000 supporters of the Palestinian cause marched in Los Angeles.
Moreover, a confrontation occurred between groups of opposing demonstrators close to the United Nations (UN) headquarters following a significant gathering of Palestinian supporters in Times Square.
Additionally, Palestinian Americans held protests outside Israeli Consulates in Atlanta and Chicago. While the former House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi spearheaded a gathering within the Jewish community to express support for Israel at a synagogue in San Francisco.
Also Read: Russia urges immediate ceasefire & truce in Palestine-Israel Conflict
In response to pro-Palestine rallies, Israeli protesters held rallies to express support for Israel and condemn ‘Hamas’s attack’ on Israel.
In Washington, approximately 200 individuals gathered at Freedom Plaza within the city to attend a rally in support of Israel and the American Jewish community.
Student Protests in US Campuses
Over 30 student organizations at Harvard University jointly issued a statement in which they blamed Israel for the ongoing violence.
They argued that the Palestinian population in Gaza had been subjected to living conditions akin to an open-air prison for the past two decades.
The statement further holds the “apartheid regime” accountable, contending that Israeli actions have profoundly influenced every aspect of Palestinian life for the past 75 years.
However, this statement faced criticism on social media, including from former Harvard President, Larry Summers.
Harvard’s current President, Claudine Gay clarified that while Harvard students have the right to express their views, no student group, even if composed of 30 organizations, is allowed to speak on behalf of Harvard University.
Similarly at Indiana University, on October 9, the Palestinian Solidarity Committee declared a nonviolent counterdemonstration while supporters of Israel gathered on the Indiana campus in Bloomington.
The two factions displayed their flags and engaged in verbal exchanges for approximately 20 minutes, with a police barrier keeping them apart.
Day of Resistance
On October 12, the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) group, organized a “National Day of Resistance” on various US college campuses.
According to the SJP the “Day of Resistance” emphasized that their members consider themselves part of the movement rather than merely showing solidarity.
The group also urged mobilization, stating that the Palestinian resistance is vibrant while characterizing the Zionist entity as fragile.
The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs accused SJP of having connections to terrorist groups and serving as a campus front for Hamas.
Moreover, they label SJP as an extremist organization with affiliations to Arab and Islamic terror groups, citing overt antisemitism, the incitement of hatred, and violence against Jewish students.
Several US universities, including the University of Washington (Seattle), Columbia University, University of North Carolina, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), University of South Florida (USF), University of Virginia, and the University of Illinois, were among those that hosted SJP rallies on the National Day of Resistance.
The murder of a 6-year-old Muslim boy in the US
A 71-year-old man on October 15 in Illinois, had been charged with a hate crime for fatally stabbing a 6-year-old boy identified as a Palestinian American and seriously injuring a 32-year-old woman (mother of the boy) due to their Islamic faith and the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The boy was pronounced dead with 26 stab wounds, while the woman is still hospitalized.
President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden condemned the act and called for rejecting Islamophobia. The suspect targeted the victims because of their Muslim faith and the Middle Eastern conflict.
The FBI had previously warned about the increase in terror threats in the US due to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
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