More than twenty thousand people responded to a call for an “International Day of Emergency Action” in Washington, on Jan. 10th.
MAS Freedom Foundation and ANSWER Coalition organized the demonstration to oppose the attacks on the Palestinians in Gaza. Many other Arab, Muslim, and human rights organizations and individuals sponsored and attended the rally.
Series of demonstrations, rallies, and protests took place in major cities and countries all over the world. The International Day of Emergency Action brought supporters of the population [Palestinians] under siege.
Demonstrators showed their solidarity in London, Edinburgh, Cairo, Athens, Kuala Lumpur, Beirut, Seoul, Mexico City, Jakarta, Montreal, Paris, Barcelona, Marseilles, Lyon, Oslo Berlin, Bern, Karachi, Nablus, New Delhi, Amman, Sarajevo, Ramallah, Stockholm, and Tokyo.
“This is a direct action non-violent demonstration campaign to protest our American tax dollars funding this war,” said Mahdi Bray, executive director of MAS Freedom.
“The killings have to stop. We tried to do a peace treaty, but so far it has not worked,” said Inas Shnewer, 20, college student from New Jersey who arrived in Washington, DC on the morning of the rally.
The speakers gave their presentation in Lafayette Park in the midst of the former President George Bush, and current President Barack Obama.
“If George Bush Doe not act, and Obama does not act, we will act,” said Mara Verheyden-Hilliard during the protest. Hilliard is attorney and co-founder of the Partnership for Civil Rights.
The march led to Pennsylvania Avenue to Independence Avenue and passed by the Washington Post office, where protesters condemned the paper for its one-sided coverage of the violence and its apathy to denounce America’s involvement in this massacre.
“Israel pulls the trigger, but George Bush sends the bombs and the missiles,” said Brian Becker, national coordinator of ANSWER.
Becker said when “Palestine says it refuse do to die, let the world see Palestine will live forever.”
Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney also spoke to open the eyes of the Westerners to put an end to this plight in the Middle East.
Recently, McKinney went to the Middle East on a humanitarian relief mission to provide supplies to the people of Gaza. She had the first hand experience of the Israeli planned attacks against any aide brought to the Palestinians. While she was on her boat with supplies to deliver to Gaza, she was struck by an Israeli military ship.
Close to a thousand have died since the beginning of the killings and several thousands have been injured.
When the six-month ceasefire between Hamas and Israel ended, the world was looking forward to a cordial relationship in the Middle East. The Israeli bombing campaign took its course during the last week of December as soon as the agreement expired.
Neturei Karta, an Orthodox Jewish International organization against Zionism, handed their statement to the civil rights director of MAS Freedom. This group claims to be on the path of the original teachings of Judaism. Members of Neturei Karta said, “Zionism” is a trap for some Jews. This non-profit organization’s website www.nkusa.org warns the Zionists that Israel cannot be formed by setting up a capitalist national state on a basis of Judaism.
Other secular Jews have stood up against the recent carnage in Gaza.
“I’m a Palestinian and I stand in front of the White House to saw Israel is guilty of a war crime,” said Paul Zulkowitz, an American Jew and member of the Jews Against the Occupation.
World Socialist Website states the United Nations “stopped vital supplies of food for the population of Gaza after its workers were deliberately targeted by the Israeli Army” on Jan. 8th.
“The Palestinians have been suffering for more than sixty years. The Arab nations have not said anything about it. The world has become entertainees of this violence. Because they are not trying to solve this problem, it is a very sad time in history,” said Umm Imran of Northern Virginia who attended the protest with her four children.
According to World Socialist Website, Egypt made sure its border with Gaza remained closed when the carnage began. This blockade prevents the only possible escape route for the surrounding Palestinians.
Umm Imran, an educator in Fairfax County, said the Palestinian-Israeli resolution is very clear. She said the Palestinian land is sacred to all people of Christian, Islamic and Judaic faiths.
“I don’t believe in bombs and grenades. We have to go into history and find a workable solution. Equal rights to resources should be given to all. Palestinians and Israelis need to learn how to get along and respect each other,” added Umm Imran.
Protesters held large banners with horrific images of the manslaughter of innocent victims including women and children. The Palestinian children and other Americans waived their flags in the air with the slogan, “Let Gaza Live.”
“Israeli government many years ago drove the Palestinians out of the small Gaza strip. Occupation of Gaza is worse than the apartheid,” said Ralph Nader.
“We believe in justice. Just doesn’t come by hoping for it. In the Abrahamic faiths, you can’t have justice until people are regarded humanely,” Rev. Graylan Hagler, President of Ministers for Racial, Social and Economic Justice. “A child’s tear in Gaza is like my child’s tear.”
The more shocking question for the demonstrators is why the European and Arab nations are playing a more disguised but equally deceitful role?
The powerful nations of the world have yet to condemn the Israeli aggression. Instead, they have supported the actions of the Israelis as a legitimate.
“The world leaders need to sit down together and learn how to share, but they don’t want to do that because there is a [tremendous] power in the hands of the Zionists. I go to these demonstrations to bring little bit of light to the darkness of the information warfare,” said Dorie Southern, a regular protester, and human rights activist in Northern Virginia.
This violence is a “propaganda” war, said Southern.
Southern wonders why independent, Arab, and Muslim journalists are barred from Gaza for media coverage. Israel is using the Washington Post, who is giving us good information but that is only “propaganda,” she said.
An article published in the Arab American Institute Washington Watch on Jan. 12th by Dr. James Zogby states, “As in the past Mideast conflicts, both the media story line and the political commentary here in the US has closely followed Israel’s talking points on the war. This has been an essential component in Israel’s early success and in its ability to prolong fighting without US pushback.”
This article titled “How Israel’s Propaganda Machine Works” available on wws.ifamericansknew.org states Israel recognized the importance of the “propaganda” war, and therefore “Israel fights on this front as vigorously and disproportionately as it engages on the battlefield.”
Critics of the media coverage object to the limiting access to American journalists in the war zone. They say this assures Israel the prospect to form every angle of the story while eliminating the possibility of independent investigation of the repulsive acts in Gaza.
“There will never be peace in the Middle East until the Palestinians get the right to self-determination and Israel ends its colonial and military occupation,” said Bray of MAS Freedom. “As long Palestine is occupied, there could never be a peace treaty.”
According to Crystal Kim, DC Branch Organizer of ANSWER, demonstrations will be held until the situation in Gaza will come to an end.
Kim said non-violent protests are the Americans’ most effective tool asking US Aid to Israel.
“Every progressive change has taken place from people demonstrating in the streets. We want people to see there is power within the people,” added Kim.
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