Palestinian Protest Outside the Israeli Consulate
January 6, 2009 at 12:43 pm by Joeff Davis in NewsDeafening chants of “Long Live Palestine!” could be heard Monday evening outside the Midtown building that houses the Israeli consulate.
Over 250 people rallied to protest the hundreds of casualties in the Gaza Strip caused by Israel’s bombing and ground offensive. The attack came in response to rocket fire by Hamas into Israel.
According to organizers this was the fourth pro-Palestinian protest in Atlanta since Israel began its attack on Dec. 27.
Amar Aburas shouts "Free Palestine!" He is from Palastine and has family living in Gaza.
Demonstrators lined both sides of Spring Street at 12th Avenue during rush hour with dozens of signs bearing messages such as “End the Occupation Now” and images of bloodied Palestinan children. A Palestinian protestor named Mahmoud (no last name given) held a homemade sign that read “Who killed us? Israel did.”
More photos from the protest at our Sideshow Atlanta blog.
Mahmoud explained why he came to the demonstration: “I am here to protest the continued massacre of the Palestinian people. Women and children are being killed.”
Fellow protestor Yasmin Yonis shouted through a bullhorn, “Not one penny, not one dime. Israel out of Palestine.” She went on to criticize the U.S. Government for giving “millions of dollars to Israel every year to commit acts of massacre and crimes against humanity.”
Protesters were met by a small but vocal contingent of Israel supporters who shouted, “Where were you on 911?” and “Hamas is a terrorist group!” The protesters and counter-protesters yelled at each other with police officers standing between them.
A 16-year-old pro Palestinian demonstrator offered his opinion of the conflict. “I want peace,” he said dejectedly. “But it will never work.”
(Photo by Joeff Davis)
January 6th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Hey - try not electing terrorist groups devoted to the destruction of Israel, engaging in civil wars with the other major political party, and launching rockets at your neighbors.
Geniuses.
January 6th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
It’s time the people in U.S. take sides to show the U.S. Capital where we stand on our foreign policy — do we reject it or not?
January 7th, 2009 at 9:11 am
A wide gap separates the reality of Israel’s actions from the rhetoric of its spokesmen. It was not Hamas but the IDF that broke the ceasefire. It did so by a raid into Gaza on 4 November that killed six Hamas men. Israel’s objective is not just the defense of its population but the eventual overthrow of the Hamas government in Gaza by turning the people against their rulers. And far from taking care to spare civilians, Israel is guilty of indiscriminate bombing and of a three-year-old blockade that has brought the inhabitants of Gaza, now 1.5 million, to the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe.
A review of Israel’s record over the past four decades makes it difficult to resist the conclusion that it has become a rogue state with “an utterly unscrupulous set of leaders”. A rogue state habitually violates international law, possesses weapons of mass destruction and practises terrorism - the use of violence against civilians for political purposes. Israel fulfils all of these three criteria; the cap fits and it must wear it.
January 7th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
If one is interested in how the Israeli government treats its Palestinian neighbors in Gaza and the West Bank, then view this video. [Safe viewing for all ages and dispositions - contains NO graphic images].
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bN50nJV2CQ
January 10th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
I live in Alabama and I just got back from Atlanta where I was protesting.
The anti occupation community in Atlanta has been incredibly successful. There have been regular protests outside the Israeli consulate. Today we had a protest which was very successful - we had something like 2000-3000 people march through some not so good weather through downtown Atlanta and we went from Woodruff Park to the CNN center, where we stood for around an hour before marching back. The protest was peaceful and well behaved. It was certainly worth the drive all the way from Alabama.
I hope someday the people of Palestine will know true freedom and the chance to live normal lives. But until then, supporters of the Palestinian cause such as myself will continue to protest….
January 11th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
This wouldn’t be an issue if the politicians weren’t competing to see who was the most racist and wanted to see the most blood. So long as Israel’s politicians believe that bloodthirsty and genocidal rhetoric and actions ill win votes –
and American politicians and the Israel-first media swears allegiance —
there can be no peace
January 11th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
umm i was there there were more than 15,000 ppl waaaayyy more than 250 ppl i tottally stand up for them FREE FREE PALESTINE END THE OCCUPATION NOW!!
January 11th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
Israel has every right to respond.
What if Mexico or Canada were sending exploding rockets on US soil?
Would’ve we sat on our hands for months and months like Israel did?
Let Israel show that this type of activity WILL NOT be tolerated.
Let their military cut a wide swath through Gaza and let the UN be damned!