Jewish activists and allies hold a protest demanding a cease-fire in Gaza on December 14, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.
'This Genocide Must End Now': Jewish-Led Protests Demand Gaza Cease-Fire
"As the descendant of people who have survived pogroms, I know my ancestors would want me to do everything in my power to stop the U.S.-funded genocide unfolding in Gaza," said one activist.
On the eighth night of Hanukkah, Jewish activists and allies took to the streets of eight U.S. cities on Thursday to demand an end to the bloodshed in Gaza, blocking traffic on bridges and highways in a show of opposition to the Biden administration's continued support for the Israeli military's atrocities.
"It is horrifying to watch the U.S. government fully fund the Israeli government's relentless bombing campaign and the destruction of the people of Gaza," said Sara Bollag of the Washington, D.C. chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), which helped organize the protests in Seattle; Philadelphia; Los Angeles; Portland, Oregon; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Minneapolis; and Atlanta.
"I am here, as the great-granddaughter of a victim of the Holocaust, doing everything in my power to stop another genocide unfolding before our eyes," Bollag added.
In the nation's capital, demonstrators holding signs that read "Cease-Fire Now" and "Never Again for Anyone" and singing Hanukkah prayers shut down an overpass.
In Chicago, more than a dozen Jewish demonstrators were arrested for obstructing the Washington Street bridge.
"As the descendant of people who have survived pogroms, I know my ancestors would want me to do everything in my power to stop the U.S.-funded genocide unfolding in Gaza," said Millie Hartenstein of JVP Chicago.
BREAKING NOW: Chicago Jews and allies are putting their bodies on the line to block the Washington Street bridge in the Loop. No business as usual. We are here on this last night of Hannukah to demand #CeaseFireNow. #NotInOurName. This genocide must end now. pic.twitter.com/tmTYB5k4mm
— JVP Chicago (@JVPChicago) December 15, 2023
The nationwide demonstrations came amid growing domestic and international outrage over the Biden administration's decision to keep arming the Israeli government and opposing global efforts to secure a lasting cease-fire as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza spirals out of control, leaving most of the territory's population without adequate food, clean water, humane living conditions, and sufficient medical treatment.
"Everywhere you look is congested with makeshift shelters. Everywhere you go, people are desperate, hungry, and terrified," Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, said in a speech on Thursday. "People—and this is also something completely new—people are stopping aid trucks, taking the food, and eating it right away. This is how desperate and hungry they are. I witnessed this firsthand."
President Joe Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, met with Israeli leaders on Thursday and reportedly urged them to "switch to more precise tactics in about three weeks" in an attempt to "communicate that American patience with widespread civilian deaths is running out." According to one human rights monitor, more than 90% of the people killed so far by Israel's latest aerial and ground assault on Gaza have been civilians.
A U.S. intelligence assessment reported by CNN on Wednesday found that nearly half of the munitions Israel has dropped on Gaza since October 7 have been so-called "dumb bombs," unguided weapons whose use in densely populated areas could violate international law.
The U.S. has provided Israel with both guided and unguided munitions, as well as artillery shells and other weaponry. Just last Friday, the State Department bypassed a congressional review process to push through the sale of 13,000 rounds of tank ammunition to Israel.
Earlier this week, top humanitarian aid leaders implored the U.S. government to urgently change its approach to halt Gaza's "apocalyptic free fall" and dozens of Biden administration staffers held a vigil outside the White House demanding an immediate cease-fire, the latest sign of mounting internal dissent.
"We have seen refugee camps, hospitals, schools, and entire neighborhoods bombed," Josh Paul, a former State Department official who resigned in October over the Biden administration's unconditional arms transfers to Israel, said during Thursday's vigil. "We have seen dead men, women, and children pulled from the rubble in their pajamas. We have seen harassment, humiliation, and degradation of many kinds. This is unacceptable."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
On the eighth night of Hanukkah, Jewish activists and allies took to the streets of eight U.S. cities on Thursday to demand an end to the bloodshed in Gaza, blocking traffic on bridges and highways in a show of opposition to the Biden administration's continued support for the Israeli military's atrocities.
"It is horrifying to watch the U.S. government fully fund the Israeli government's relentless bombing campaign and the destruction of the people of Gaza," said Sara Bollag of the Washington, D.C. chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), which helped organize the protests in Seattle; Philadelphia; Los Angeles; Portland, Oregon; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Minneapolis; and Atlanta.
"I am here, as the great-granddaughter of a victim of the Holocaust, doing everything in my power to stop another genocide unfolding before our eyes," Bollag added.
In the nation's capital, demonstrators holding signs that read "Cease-Fire Now" and "Never Again for Anyone" and singing Hanukkah prayers shut down an overpass.
In Chicago, more than a dozen Jewish demonstrators were arrested for obstructing the Washington Street bridge.
"As the descendant of people who have survived pogroms, I know my ancestors would want me to do everything in my power to stop the U.S.-funded genocide unfolding in Gaza," said Millie Hartenstein of JVP Chicago.
BREAKING NOW: Chicago Jews and allies are putting their bodies on the line to block the Washington Street bridge in the Loop. No business as usual. We are here on this last night of Hannukah to demand #CeaseFireNow. #NotInOurName. This genocide must end now. pic.twitter.com/tmTYB5k4mm
— JVP Chicago (@JVPChicago) December 15, 2023
The nationwide demonstrations came amid growing domestic and international outrage over the Biden administration's decision to keep arming the Israeli government and opposing global efforts to secure a lasting cease-fire as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza spirals out of control, leaving most of the territory's population without adequate food, clean water, humane living conditions, and sufficient medical treatment.
"Everywhere you look is congested with makeshift shelters. Everywhere you go, people are desperate, hungry, and terrified," Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, said in a speech on Thursday. "People—and this is also something completely new—people are stopping aid trucks, taking the food, and eating it right away. This is how desperate and hungry they are. I witnessed this firsthand."
President Joe Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, met with Israeli leaders on Thursday and reportedly urged them to "switch to more precise tactics in about three weeks" in an attempt to "communicate that American patience with widespread civilian deaths is running out." According to one human rights monitor, more than 90% of the people killed so far by Israel's latest aerial and ground assault on Gaza have been civilians.
A U.S. intelligence assessment reported by CNN on Wednesday found that nearly half of the munitions Israel has dropped on Gaza since October 7 have been so-called "dumb bombs," unguided weapons whose use in densely populated areas could violate international law.
The U.S. has provided Israel with both guided and unguided munitions, as well as artillery shells and other weaponry. Just last Friday, the State Department bypassed a congressional review process to push through the sale of 13,000 rounds of tank ammunition to Israel.
Earlier this week, top humanitarian aid leaders implored the U.S. government to urgently change its approach to halt Gaza's "apocalyptic free fall" and dozens of Biden administration staffers held a vigil outside the White House demanding an immediate cease-fire, the latest sign of mounting internal dissent.
"We have seen refugee camps, hospitals, schools, and entire neighborhoods bombed," Josh Paul, a former State Department official who resigned in October over the Biden administration's unconditional arms transfers to Israel, said during Thursday's vigil. "We have seen dead men, women, and children pulled from the rubble in their pajamas. We have seen harassment, humiliation, and degradation of many kinds. This is unacceptable."
On the eighth night of Hanukkah, Jewish activists and allies took to the streets of eight U.S. cities on Thursday to demand an end to the bloodshed in Gaza, blocking traffic on bridges and highways in a show of opposition to the Biden administration's continued support for the Israeli military's atrocities.
"It is horrifying to watch the U.S. government fully fund the Israeli government's relentless bombing campaign and the destruction of the people of Gaza," said Sara Bollag of the Washington, D.C. chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), which helped organize the protests in Seattle; Philadelphia; Los Angeles; Portland, Oregon; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Minneapolis; and Atlanta.
"I am here, as the great-granddaughter of a victim of the Holocaust, doing everything in my power to stop another genocide unfolding before our eyes," Bollag added.
In the nation's capital, demonstrators holding signs that read "Cease-Fire Now" and "Never Again for Anyone" and singing Hanukkah prayers shut down an overpass.
In Chicago, more than a dozen Jewish demonstrators were arrested for obstructing the Washington Street bridge.
"As the descendant of people who have survived pogroms, I know my ancestors would want me to do everything in my power to stop the U.S.-funded genocide unfolding in Gaza," said Millie Hartenstein of JVP Chicago.
BREAKING NOW: Chicago Jews and allies are putting their bodies on the line to block the Washington Street bridge in the Loop. No business as usual. We are here on this last night of Hannukah to demand #CeaseFireNow. #NotInOurName. This genocide must end now. pic.twitter.com/tmTYB5k4mm
— JVP Chicago (@JVPChicago) December 15, 2023
The nationwide demonstrations came amid growing domestic and international outrage over the Biden administration's decision to keep arming the Israeli government and opposing global efforts to secure a lasting cease-fire as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza spirals out of control, leaving most of the territory's population without adequate food, clean water, humane living conditions, and sufficient medical treatment.
"Everywhere you look is congested with makeshift shelters. Everywhere you go, people are desperate, hungry, and terrified," Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, said in a speech on Thursday. "People—and this is also something completely new—people are stopping aid trucks, taking the food, and eating it right away. This is how desperate and hungry they are. I witnessed this firsthand."
President Joe Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, met with Israeli leaders on Thursday and reportedly urged them to "switch to more precise tactics in about three weeks" in an attempt to "communicate that American patience with widespread civilian deaths is running out." According to one human rights monitor, more than 90% of the people killed so far by Israel's latest aerial and ground assault on Gaza have been civilians.
A U.S. intelligence assessment reported by CNN on Wednesday found that nearly half of the munitions Israel has dropped on Gaza since October 7 have been so-called "dumb bombs," unguided weapons whose use in densely populated areas could violate international law.
The U.S. has provided Israel with both guided and unguided munitions, as well as artillery shells and other weaponry. Just last Friday, the State Department bypassed a congressional review process to push through the sale of 13,000 rounds of tank ammunition to Israel.
Earlier this week, top humanitarian aid leaders implored the U.S. government to urgently change its approach to halt Gaza's "apocalyptic free fall" and dozens of Biden administration staffers held a vigil outside the White House demanding an immediate cease-fire, the latest sign of mounting internal dissent.
"We have seen refugee camps, hospitals, schools, and entire neighborhoods bombed," Josh Paul, a former State Department official who resigned in October over the Biden administration's unconditional arms transfers to Israel, said during Thursday's vigil. "We have seen dead men, women, and children pulled from the rubble in their pajamas. We have seen harassment, humiliation, and degradation of many kinds. This is unacceptable."