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Hundreds gathered in downtown Syracuse Saturday for a “Hands Off Rafah” protest as part of a global “Shut It Down for Palestine” demonstration, calling for an end to Israel’s military response in Palestine.

Demonstrators gathered at Clinton Square and heard from organizers, including members of the Syracuse chapters of Jewish Voice for Peace and Veterans for Peace, before marching through neighboring streets.

After initially gathering in Clinton Square, protesters marched through downtown Syracuse, moving through the sidewalks of S. Clinton and W. Jefferson Streets and eventually on S. Salina Street.

The protest was organized by nine co-sponsoring organizations, Community Care of Syracuse, the Syracuse branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Syracuse Collective for Palestinian Liberation, Syracuse Peace Council, Faculty for Justice in Palestine at Syracuse University, JVP, Syracuse Democratic Socialists of America, Resilient Indigenous Action Collective and Veterans for Peace.

Rafah is a city located in the south of the Gaza Strip that shares a border with Egypt. While an estimated 1.5 million internally displaced Palestinians take refuge in Rafah, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week Israeli forces will move into the area.

An Israeli air strike killed at least ten people in Rafah, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported, the latest of Israeli attacks in the region.

As part of a widespread “day of action,” the protest was one of hundreds in the United States, including over a dozen in New York state, said Tara Sandlin, an organizer for the Party for Socialism and Liberation and SU alumna.

“Today’s action is part of a global day of action around the demand, ‘Hands Off Rafa,’” Sandlin said. “It’s just inspiring to know that we’re part of a larger collective and that these demonstrations thus far have been what’s really isolated Israel and the United States on a global stage.”

Throughout the march, protesters called Israel’s “siege” of Palestine a genocide in which the U.S. is complicit. Following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, which killed 1,200 people, Israeli attacks have killed over 30,000 people, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

Throughout the protest, demonstrators called for President Joe Biden and the U.S. Congress to cut financial aid to Israel. Since the war started, Biden has maintained support for Israel. On Saturday, the U.S., in partnership with Jordan, dropped 38,000 ready-to-eat meals in Gaza.

“We demand that Biden and Congress take immediate action to prevent genocide against Palestinians,” Franz Krueger, a member of JVP Syracuse, said. “We demand that the U.S. calls for a permanent ceasefire to prevent further loss of life.”

Krueger said he believes the state of Israel does not reflect the Jewish value that “every life matters.” As organizers spoke, demonstrators chanted “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” They also displayed support for Palestine by holding posters reading “ceasefire now,” flying Palestinian flags and wearing keffiyehs.

Another speaker, Ron Vannorstrand from Veterans for Peace, criticized the U.S. military’s involvement in the war. He also referred to the recent self-immolation of former airman Aaron Bushnell as a sacrifice and an act of bravery, condemning mainstream media for making “no attempt” to contextualize his actions within the broader conflict.

Bushnell, a former member of the U.S. Air Force who self-immolated in front of the Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 25, called his death “an extreme act of protest” against the Israeli response in Palestine. Bushnell’s final words were “Free Palestine,” the New York Times reported.

“We may have different interpretations … of Bushnell’s fatal act of courage and sacrifice,” Vannorstrand said. “However, I submit to you that he took his own life to call us to action.”

Organizers and attendees said they wanted to emphasize the importance of gathering in solidarity to protest on behalf of Palestinians.

“It’s important for everyone in the community — faculty and students — to be out here to acknowledge the genocide that’s occurring,” said Devon Narine-Singh, a teaching instructor for SU’s School of Visual and Performing Arts.

Organizers expressed hope that the demonstration would send a global message to “stop the genocide.”

“We’re hoping that this massive show of support from around the world really makes it clear that people of the world are not okay with (Israel’s actions in Palestine) and we demand better,” Sandlin said.

Published on March 2, 2024 at 8:31 pm

Contact Griffin: gbrown19@syr.edu