NEW YORK: Supporters of Israel and advocates for the Palestinian cause staged competing rallies in several American cities on Sunday, amid a deepening conflict in the Middle East that has resulted in hundreds of casualties and thousands of injuries.
In New York City, tensions escalated as opposing demonstrators clashed near the United Nations compound following a substantial rally of Palestinian supporters in Times Square. Palestinian Americans also voiced their concerns outside Israeli consulates in Atlanta and Chicago, while former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led a gathering of the Jewish community in San Francisco in a show of support for Israel.
These rallies and the involvement of American political leaders underscore the extensive impact of a conflict that has already prompted the United States to deploy naval forces to the Eastern Mediterranean, ready to assist Israel.
In New York City, a strong police presence surrounded the United Nations compound as a sizable group of pro-Palestinian protesters assembled nearby, chanting slogans and waving flags. Metal barricades were erected to maintain order on the sidewalks, with officers working to separate the opposing groups across the street, some displaying Israeli flags.
As some pro-Palestinian demonstrators dispersed, individuals carrying Israeli flags crossed the barricades, leading to a brief skirmish in the crowd. During the commotion, one man tore down an Israeli flag and tossed it onto the sidewalk, where it was trampled by onlookers. Police swiftly intervened, separating the two sides.
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Munir Atalla, a member of the Palestinian Youth Movement, expressed, ‘We want to show the world that when Palestine rises up in resistance, the diaspora rises with it,’ before the altercation.
Earlier in Times Square, social media had showcased Palestinian supporters rallying with police barricades separating them from a pro-Israel group. Eventually, the pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched away, chanting ‘free, free Palestine, long live Palestine’ and ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,’ as tourists and bystanders captured the moment in photographs.
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Governor Kathy Hochul of New York, a Democrat, had denounced the planned pro-Palestinian rally, referring to it as ‘abhorrent and morally repugnant,’ in a statement on Saturday night, echoing similar sentiments from other political leaders in the state.
In Atlanta, over 75 individuals gathered outside the Israeli consulate on Sunday afternoon, vocally supporting Hamas and demanding an end to US aid to Israel.
Natalie Villasana, a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, explained, ‘We’re here because we believe that everyone in the United States is funding Israeli apartheid.’ She argued that US military aid could be better directed toward domestic issues, though demonstrators also contended that Hamas’ actions were justified in response to Israeli actions.
Talia Segal, a student at nearby Georgia Tech, arrived as a counter-protester, carrying an Israeli flag adorned with the rainbow colors of the LGBTQ+ pride movement. She emphasized, ‘Terrorism is never justified. Their target was Israeli civilians,’ expressing her concerns for her family in Israel.
In Chicago, hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators, including Priscilla Reed, gathered outside the Israeli consulate. Many waved Palestinian flags or donned keffiyeh scarves, symbolizing Palestinian solidarity. Chants in both English and Arabic echoed through the crowd, including slogans like, ‘Netanyahu, you will see, Palestine will be free!’
Reed, a retired teacher, attributed Hamas’ actions to what she perceived as Israel’s ‘systemic daily violence against Palestinians.’
These rallies and gatherings underscore the profound division within the U.S. over the Middle East conflict, reflecting the passionate and contrasting perspectives held by supporters of both Israel and the Palestinian cause.”
