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Exclusive: Americans Stage Nationwide Protests In Support Of Palestinians
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| Americans
of all faiths gather to commemorate “Palestinian Land Day”
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By Neveen A. Salem, IOL Staff Writer
WASHINGTON, March 31 (IslamOnline) - As Israeli tanks continue to bombard Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah in what is considered the most aggressive military offensive since the beginning of the latest Palestinian Intifada (uprising) against illegal Israeli occupation, Americans of all faiths gathered in key cities around the nation to commemorate "Palestinian Land Day."
Palestinian Land Day, which commemorates the deaths of six Palestinians killed 25 years ago while their land was being confiscated by Israel, took on an intense air in light of the current escalating aggression by Israel, which also saw five more Palestinians killed during a Land Day march in the Occupied Territories Saturday.
The rallies come as U.S. President George W. Bush commented that Israel "has a right to defend itself'" and should not be forced to withdraw from Ramallah, a statement issued only hours after the U.S. signed a unanimously accepted U.N. resolution calling Israel to withdraw immediately from Ramallah and stop its attacks against Arafat.
Americans of all faiths attended the rally in the nation's capital and reports filtered in of the growing numbers in simultaneous rallies being held in Los Angeles, Seattle, Detroit, Tucson, Atlanta and Houston.
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| Participants
in the rally denounces Israeli violence in occupied
territories
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However, the Washington D.C. rally did enjoy a special guest as Hasan Abdel Rahman, chief Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) representative to the U.S., arrived from his D.C. office to show his solidarity with Palestinians, American demonstrators and Arafat.
In an exclusive interview with IslamOnline before going on to address rally participants, Abdel Rahman commented that he was gravely concerned about the escalation of violence and called on the U.S. to take steps towards suppressing the Israeli escalations.
"What is going on amounts to war crimes committed by Israel against the Palestinian people, and these crimes will push the region as a whole towards an escalation of violence," Abdel Rahman told IslamOnline.
"[We] call on the U.S. government to stop endorsing the Israeli government and to stand up for what is right. The U.S. should realize that the 'original sin' is the illegal military occupation. As long as there is occupation, there can be no peace, because an occupation is violence."
Abdel Rahman also went on to address IslamOnline's question about Israeli claims that they have "no intention of harming Arafat."
"We don't judge on intentions, but on actions," Abdel Rahman asserted. "Israel has executed 'mafia style' many Palestinians and we have to look at what they do and not what they say," Abdel Rahman concluded, referring to Israel's targeting of innocent civilians and its policy of assassinations of activists and key political figures.
The rally, held in Freedom Plaza - located in the middle of busy Pennsylvania Avenue -roughly one block from the White House, swelled into the thousands, although an exact number was unable to be provided by Washington D.C. police.
It began with a moment of silence, in which Arabs, Muslims, Jews, Christians and Americans of other faiths and ethnicities stood together, prayed for the Palestinians and called upon the U.S to stop sending American tax dollars to funding "Israeli terrorism."
Several key speakers offered insights in words and in song as demonstrators brought a near halt to busy traffic with signs displaying a "Wanted" poster with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's face and the caption "Sharon is a War Criminal."
Some Christian protestors also carried signs aimed at American Christians saying "Jesus did not die so you can go kill children in his Holy Land," in an attempt to illustrate that Israel's atrocities are aimed at all people and that American Christians should support their Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters as well.
One particularly effective set of props included huge papier-mâché tanks with the words "Brought to you by your U.S. tax dollars" stenciled onto the side.
Ramy Al Amin, of Stop U.S. Funded Tax Aid to Israel Now (SUSTAIN), told IslamOnline that "Americans need to realize that our tax-dollars are not being used to fund badly needed schools, transportation and housing in our own country, but instead our money is being used to build first world schools and settlements in Israel, in addition to funding its war against the Palestinians."
American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) President Ziad Asali took to the podium and reflected on what such a demonstration means for the Palestinian cause and the American attitude towards the region.
"What these demonstration[s] show is that there is a huge constituency throughout the country for peace based on justice, the only viable peace available. The killing, the occupation, the torment and the grief have gone on for too long. We must all come to our senses before it is too late and agree that a Palestinian state with its capital in Jerusalem must live side by side in equality with a secure and peaceful Israel in its recognized international borders.
"We came together today to urge the President [George W. Bush] to get behind this vision and bring the parties together in serious talks designed to bring this about quickly. He must act now to stop Prime Minister Sharon's new escalation and the attack on President
Arafat. He must stop putting the onus on the besieged and occupied Palestinians only and start to hold Israel accountable for its behavior too. Our country needs to act with urgency and seriousness about this crisis that has been lacking thus far. Too much is at risk to continue to allow this conflict to spiral out of control."
Asali also went on to call on all Americans to participate in the "glorious process that is the political process" in order to help bring about a change.
"We have a right and a responsibility to participate in the free political process of our country. And we have a responsibility to be good citizens, good American citizens, good Arab-American citizens."
Mahdy Bray, political relations director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), reminded Americans of the intentions of their forefathers and about the fundamental principles on which the U.S. was built. He recalled the words of Patrick Henry who stood up amidst battle and said the now famous words "Give me liberty or give me death."
He also brought back the words of the Prophet Moses, who called upon Pharaoh to save the Jews and free them from slavery in Egypt.
"Let my people go," Bray said, repeating Moses' famed words.
But Bray took it one further and said, "In the case of the [Israeli] occupation, just go."
Phyllis Bennis, a prominent Jewish American, pro-Palestinian activist, called upon the American Jewish community to stand up against the killing of all people and to criticize Israel for its aggressions and the illegal occupation.
She blasted Bush and the U.S. government for not only failing to protect innocent civilians but for militarily, economically and politically endorsing Israel's war on the Palestinians.
"We hear in the news today that Bush is jogging and playing with his dog. But what is more disturbing is what is happening while he is doing these things.
"Currently, U.S. supplied tanks and Apache helicopters are killing innocent civilians. The U.S. has supplied these weapons in contradiction to international laws [that condemn the use or exporting of weaponry to be used against civilians]."
Bennis also sought to educate the American Jewish community by telling them that both Palestinians and Israelis have suffered in the violence and once again blamed the U.S. for failing to protect either peoples.
"The U.S. is complicit in the killing of Palestinians and Israeli Jews," Bennis concluded.
Khaled Turaani, executive director of American Muslims for Jerusalem (AMJ), also called on the Western media to refrain from its biased reporting on the conflict in Palestine. He ridiculed the reporting as "nothing but something that has evolved into an hour-long infomercial for Israel," making reference to Western television's practice of having companies pay to advertise themselves during an extended commercial in the hopes of drumming up business.
After the permit for the rally expired late in the day, protestors continued in their attempts to educate Americans on the current situation in the Middle East as they took their signs and dispersed throughout Washington.
Demonstrators later told IslamOnline their actions proved fruitful as Washington was enjoying good weather and hosting the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, and thus many people were outside and could be reached.
The Land Day rally, sponsored by the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) and Stop U.S. Funded Tax Aid to Israel Now (SUSTAIN), was also co-sponsored by national and local organizations - Muslim, Arab and otherwise - including the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), American Committee on Jerusalem (ACJ), American Muslim Council (AMC), Al-Hewar Center, Council for the National Interest (CNI), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), El-Bireh Society, Fellowship of Reconciliation/DC Chapter, Partners for Peace, Project South: Institute for the Elimination of Poverty & Genocide, Solidarity USA, Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), Christian Peacemakers Teams (CPT), American Muslims for Jerusalem (AMJ), Al-Awda-DC, Jews Against Occupation, Nonviolence International, The Young Arab Leadership Alliance - Georgetown University, Peace Action, Arab Students Association at American University, Washington Peace Center, M.E. Peace Committee/Washington Episcopal Diocese, Pax Christi USA, Union of Arab Students Associations, American Muslims for Global Peace and Justice (AMGPJ), Black Voices for Peace, Muslim American Society, Palestinian-American Women's Association, The International Action Center, International Socialist Organization (ISO), Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), Solidarity International for Human Rights.
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