To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.

×

If people don’t back independent journalism, it will die

Defeating Trump’s authoritarian takeover requires hard-hitting, people-powered journalism unafraid of making enemies or calling out villains. That’s the model that Common Dreams was built on from the beginning.

Right now, our team is doing the best, most consequential reporting we’ve ever done, keeping our millions of readers well-informed, inspired, and engaged—but we simply can’t do this work without your dedicated support.

If people don’t back independent journalism, it will die—it’s as simple as that. Will you make a gift to our Summer Campaign and keep the fearless, independent journalism of Common Dreams alive and strong?

If people don’t back independent journalism, it will die

Right now, our team is doing the best, most consequential reporting we’ve ever done, keeping our millions of readers well-informed, inspired, and engaged—but we simply can’t do this work without your dedicated support.

If people don’t back independent journalism, it will die—it’s as simple as that. Will you make a gift to our Summer Campaign and keep the fearless, independent journalism of Common Dreams alive and strong?

As 'March of Great Return' Begins, Israeli Forces Gun Down Palestinian Protesters Along Gaza Border

An estimated 20,000 Palestinians marched along the Gaza-Israel border on Friday. (Photo: Ma'an News Agency)

As 'March of Great Return' Begins, Israeli Forces Gun Down Palestinian Protesters Along Gaza Border

Israeli snipers killed at least 15 Palestinians and injured hundreds more as an estimated 20,000 gathered along the Gaza-Israel border for the launch of the six-week "March of Great Return" on Friday. "Dozens of signs have been set up across the border in Arabic, Hebrew, and English, saying 'We are not here to fight; we are here to return to our lands.'"

NewsWar & Peace

Update:

Today's death toll has risen to 15 with many hundreds more wounded.

Earlier:

With worries that numbers will continue to rise, Israeli snipers killed at least nine Palestinians and injured hundreds more as an estimated 20,000 gathered along the Gaza-Israel border for the launch of the six-week "March of Great Return" on Friday.

The beginning of the march coincides with the 42nd anniversary of Land Day, when Palestinians worldwide commemorate six who were killed by Israeli forces for protesting settlements in 1976.

Ahead of the demonstrations, Gadi Eizenkot, Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), gave soldiers permission to open fire on mass demonstrations "in the event of mortal danger" and announced that Israeli forces would deploy more than 100 snipers.

"The instructions are to use a lot of force," Eizenkot told the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.

Organizers of the protesters, meanwhile, have encouraged marchers to remain nonviolent, and according to the Ma'an News Agency, "Dozens of signs have been set up across the border in Arabic, Hebrew, and English, saying 'We are not here to fight; we are here to return to our lands.'"

Palestinian protesters have set up tents along the border, and demonstrations are slated to continue through May 15, Reuters reports, "the day Palestinians call the 'Nakba' or 'Catastrophe,' marking the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the conflict surrounding the creation of Israel in 1948."

That's also when the U.S. Embassy is scheduled to open in Jerusalem, after President Donald Trump annnounced last year that he would recognize the city as the capital of Israel and relocate the embassy from Tel Aviv, provoking international condemnation.

"Despite march organizers and Palestinian politicians maintaining that the march be a non-violent one," Ma'an News Agency reports, "Israeli officials have called the protests 'violent riots.'"

Though Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh addressed some protesters on Friday, declaring that "our people went out today to make it clear that we will not give up Jerusalem and that there is no alternative to Palestine and the right of return," advocates for Palestinians countered the narrative that is being pushed by Israeli officials.

Yousef Munayyer, executive director of the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, tweeted Friday:

An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder


Dear Common Dreams reader,

The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets.

That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done.

Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good.

Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support.

That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you.

Our Summer Campaign is now underway, and there’s never been a more urgent time for Common Dreams to be as vigilant as possible. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams?

Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most.

- Craig Brown, Co-founder

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
gazaisraeljewish voice for peacepalestinepeople power

Update:

Today's death toll has risen to 15 with many hundreds more wounded.

Earlier:

With worries that numbers will continue to rise, Israeli snipers killed at least nine Palestinians and injured hundreds more as an estimated 20,000 gathered along the Gaza-Israel border for the launch of the six-week "March of Great Return" on Friday.

The beginning of the march coincides with the 42nd anniversary of Land Day, when Palestinians worldwide commemorate six who were killed by Israeli forces for protesting settlements in 1976.

Ahead of the demonstrations, Gadi Eizenkot, Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), gave soldiers permission to open fire on mass demonstrations "in the event of mortal danger" and announced that Israeli forces would deploy more than 100 snipers.

"The instructions are to use a lot of force," Eizenkot told the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.

Organizers of the protesters, meanwhile, have encouraged marchers to remain nonviolent, and according to the Ma'an News Agency, "Dozens of signs have been set up across the border in Arabic, Hebrew, and English, saying 'We are not here to fight; we are here to return to our lands.'"

Palestinian protesters have set up tents along the border, and demonstrations are slated to continue through May 15, Reuters reports, "the day Palestinians call the 'Nakba' or 'Catastrophe,' marking the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the conflict surrounding the creation of Israel in 1948."

That's also when the U.S. Embassy is scheduled to open in Jerusalem, after President Donald Trump annnounced last year that he would recognize the city as the capital of Israel and relocate the embassy from Tel Aviv, provoking international condemnation.

"Despite march organizers and Palestinian politicians maintaining that the march be a non-violent one," Ma'an News Agency reports, "Israeli officials have called the protests 'violent riots.'"

Though Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh addressed some protesters on Friday, declaring that "our people went out today to make it clear that we will not give up Jerusalem and that there is no alternative to Palestine and the right of return," advocates for Palestinians countered the narrative that is being pushed by Israeli officials.

Yousef Munayyer, executive director of the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, tweeted Friday:

Update:

Today's death toll has risen to 15 with many hundreds more wounded.

Earlier:

With worries that numbers will continue to rise, Israeli snipers killed at least nine Palestinians and injured hundreds more as an estimated 20,000 gathered along the Gaza-Israel border for the launch of the six-week "March of Great Return" on Friday.

The beginning of the march coincides with the 42nd anniversary of Land Day, when Palestinians worldwide commemorate six who were killed by Israeli forces for protesting settlements in 1976.

Ahead of the demonstrations, Gadi Eizenkot, Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), gave soldiers permission to open fire on mass demonstrations "in the event of mortal danger" and announced that Israeli forces would deploy more than 100 snipers.

"The instructions are to use a lot of force," Eizenkot told the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.

Organizers of the protesters, meanwhile, have encouraged marchers to remain nonviolent, and according to the Ma'an News Agency, "Dozens of signs have been set up across the border in Arabic, Hebrew, and English, saying 'We are not here to fight; we are here to return to our lands.'"

Palestinian protesters have set up tents along the border, and demonstrations are slated to continue through May 15, Reuters reports, "the day Palestinians call the 'Nakba' or 'Catastrophe,' marking the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the conflict surrounding the creation of Israel in 1948."

That's also when the U.S. Embassy is scheduled to open in Jerusalem, after President Donald Trump annnounced last year that he would recognize the city as the capital of Israel and relocate the embassy from Tel Aviv, provoking international condemnation.

"Despite march organizers and Palestinian politicians maintaining that the march be a non-violent one," Ma'an News Agency reports, "Israeli officials have called the protests 'violent riots.'"

Though Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh addressed some protesters on Friday, declaring that "our people went out today to make it clear that we will not give up Jerusalem and that there is no alternative to Palestine and the right of return," advocates for Palestinians countered the narrative that is being pushed by Israeli officials.

Yousef Munayyer, executive director of the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, tweeted Friday:

gazaisraeljewish voice for peacepalestinepeople power
Join the Conversation