Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, March 2009, pages 48-49
Waging Peace
Protests Against Israel’s Massive Attack on Gaza Spanned DC
MANY EMERGENCY protests were launched across Washington, DC following Israel’s massive air attack on Gaza that began on Dec. 27, 2008, killing more than 550 Palestinians and wounding more than 2,500. In mid-June of last year, Israel and Hamas had signed a six-month cease-fire agreement. That was broken on Nov. 4, when Israeli warplanes attacked Gaza. In retaliation, Hamas launched rockets into Israel, which cited this as the reason for its deadliest air strike against Palestinians in decades.
OBAMA’S TRANSITION OFFICE, DEC. 29
One of the protests, organized by the Coalition for Justice and Accountability (CJA), took place on Dec. 29 in downtown Washington, in front of President-elect Barack Obama’s transition office. The protesters marched from there to the Verizon Center.
“We, like most Americans, are hopeful for change,” said a CJA spokesperson, referring to U.S. foreign policy.
The Israeli attack on Gaza “doesn’t contribute to the peace process,” said one protester. “The Palestinians do not deserve to be killed in this way.”
Another protester voiced his concerns about “Israel’s illegal bombardment” and “disregard for human rights,” referring to the fact that Israel’s attack on Gaza violates the Geneva Conventions. What he was most concerned about, however, was the “mainstream media’s silence on Palestinian suffering.”
HUGE PROTEST AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT
On Dec. 30, a massive demonstration was held in front of the State Department as part of the National Day of Action, called for by numerous organizations, including the ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) Coalition, Muslim American Freedom Society, the National Council of Arab Americans, Free Palestine Alliance, Al-Awda—International Palestine Coalition for the Right of Return, and others. Thousands of Americans held protests around the country that day.
Sources estimated between 3,000 to more than 5,000 protesters were at the State Department rally.
Protesters gathered in front of the State Department, then marched toward the White House. Speakers pointed to the casualties of the latest attack on Gaza and how Washington funds the weapons Israel uses, and condemned Egypt for keeping Palestinians in Gaza “trapped like animals.”
Protesters held signs such as “Israel: Guilty of War Crimes” and “Stop the U.S.-Israeli Genocide of Palestinians.” Many made their own signs depicting pictures of dead or injured Palestinian children. The protesters' chants—“Free, free Palestine,” and “Stop the occupation now”—rang throughout the streets. Some Muslim protesters took time to pray.
NBC was one of the local news channels which covered the protest. After showing some footage of the demonstration, NBC quickly jumped to an interview with B’nai B’rith International, the “global voice of the Jewish community.” Although it failed to mention the many DC protesters who were carrying American flags, the station focused on the miniature Israeli and American flags displayed together at B’nai B’rith. NBC then asked American-Jewish travelers, including students in a Birthright Israel program, how safe they feel in Israel. It ended its coverage by going back to the DC protest and commenting, “None have been arrested so far.”
NEW YEAR’S EVE AT THE ISRAELI EMBASSY
On an especially cold and windy Dec. 31, protesters led by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) marched to the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC’s international embassy compound.
When asked why they had chosen to come to this particular protest despite the weather conditions and on New Year’s Eve, they all had the same answer: that it was a small price to pay to get their voices out and try to help Palestinians in Gaza. The marchers included a protester who had a broken leg, who willingly walked along on crutches.
“I could be in my living room instead of standing here with numb fingers,” said another protester. “But I choose to be here so that perhaps electricity will be restored in a Gaza hospital.”
Another protester said Americans should be very concerned because Israel’s attack on Gaza could not happen without U.S. support, citing “F-16 fighter bombers, missiles, jet fuel, and spare parts,” as just a few of the things America readily gives to Israel. Not long after the protest, the United States vetoed a U.N. cease-fire deal to stop the Gaza attack.
The ADC handed out flyers with information about the recent attack, about Gaza, which is the most densely populated area in the world, and Israel’s severe economic blockade. “Throughout the history of Arab-Israeli peace negotiations only cease-fires and agreements have brought peace and security for both Arabs and Israelis,” the flyer concluded.
To see the NBC coverage of the Dec. 30 demonstration visit: <http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=56137470208&h=Mkrrn&u=bHJx7>.
—Afsheen Eeshat
