Protesters Rally for Palestine as Congress Rallies for I$raHell

NOVANEWS

Since Israel began its latest bombardment of the Gaza Strip on July 7, countless Gaza solidarity protests have taken place in cities and communities throughout the country and the world. On Aug. 2, the ANSWER Coalition, in collaboration with numerous other organizations, held a massive national rally in Washington, DC to demand an end to the Israeli massacre and blockade in Gaza.

Among the tens of thousands of demonstrators were people from as far away as Florida and Illinois, who endured long bus rides to the nation’s capital in order to participate in the rally.

The peaceful but energetic protest began at the White House, where a series of speakers passionately implored President Barack Obama and others in the U.S. government to speak out against the injustices being carried out against the Palestinian people by the Israeli government.

As the White House and neighboring Lafayette Square began to overflow with people, the rally became mobile, with marchers taking to the streets of downtown Washington. Along the way, protesters stopped at the Washington Post’s offices to demand that the newspaper provide more accurate and balanced coverage of the conflict. (The Post’s article on the protest the following day was buried on p. C-6, near the obituaries.)

Holding signs demanding an end to U.S. aid to Israel and denouncing the war crimes being committed in Gaza, marchers drew the attention of many passersby, and even received honks of support from those stuck in gridlocked traffic.

In a show of solidarity, immigration reform activists, who were holding their own rally on Saturday, joined the Gaza protesters. The activists were greeted with cheers as they entered the rally chanting, “Free, Free Gaza, Stop Deportations!”

Saturday’s rally, which included individuals of many ages, religions and political beliefs, came a day after Congress approved $225 million in “emergency” funding for Israel’s Iron Dome system.

The passing of the pro-Israel bill capped a week in which many high-ranking congressmen voiced their unconditional support for Israel. At a July 28 pro-Israel rally at the National Press Club sponsored by the National Leadership Assembly for Israel, Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH), House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), House Middle East Subcommittee Chair Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) all pledged their loyalty to Israel, obediently reciting Israeli hasbara (propaganda) about the foreign country’s humanity and nobility.

Congressional leadership, however, was noticeably absent from an Aug. 1 briefing hosted by the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation in which experts from several reputable human rights groups provided facts about the Israel’s brutal and prolonged occupation of Palestine. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) was the only member of Congress who showed up to the event, which featured 15-year-old Palestinian-American Tariq Khdeir, whose brutal beating at the hands of Israeli police in July, after his cousin was abducted and burned to death by Jewish terrorists, was caught on video.

As members of Congress return home to their districts for the August recess, it is vital that they be told that their unflinching support for Israel is unacceptable. Be sure to attend town-hall meetings, or call, visit, or protest in front of your representative’s local office to make him or her aware that they must vote on the side of human rights.

For ways you can help the people of Gaza with your solidarity and money, view our website: http://www.wrmea.org/action-alert-archives/12673-send-help-to-gaza.html

Find out how much money your representative has taken from pro-Israel PACs (http://www.wrmea.org/pdf/2014augpactopten.pdf); subscribers to the print or digital edition of the Washington Report can view the voting records of every member of Congress in our latest issue.

Also, follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/wrmea) to view more photos from Saturday’s White House protest and to share pictures from rallies you have attended throughout the country and the world.

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