Arabs, Jews, African Americans , Latinos and Anglos, old and young came out to the largest demonstration held in New York City since the start of the Israeli military aggression in Gaza and Lebanon on June 27. Following a rally at Time Square, the demonstrators marched in the sweltering heat to 50th Street and Sixth Avenue, chanting "Palestine and Lebanon will be free!" "No Justice, No Peace, U.S. Out of the Middle East!" and other demands centering on the current U.S./Israeli-fomented crisis in the Middle East.
Rally speakers included Ramsey Clark, who deplored the murder of hundreds of civilians in Lebanon and Gaza at the hands of the Israeli military and Washington's backing for the bloodletting. A Lebanese nurse working in New York City spoke of the killing of Lebanese children paid for by the United States, while children also die at underfunded Harlem Hospital. A leader of New York City's Bolivarian Circle, a group of Venezuelans supporting the revolutionary process in Venezuela, expressed solidarity with the embattled Lebanese and Palestinian people, noting that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had condemned the Israeli agression and recalled Venezuela's embassador in Israel. A Palestinian speaker called for unity in the face of efforts to split the solidarity movement. Other speakers included Brenda Stokely of the representatives of U.S. Labor Against the War, The Committee to Free the Cuban Five, as well as representatives of movements in Sudan, Iran and Korea.
Organizers played a taped solidarity message from U.S. political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, which stated, "What a joy to join the many voices saying No Justice, No Peace! U.S. Out of the Middle East! It is refreshing to hear some sanity when we discuss this region and the bloodletting we see every day, there. The U.S. has given its green light to Tel-Aviv to let loose the dogs of war, and let loose they have. Not since the illegal, murderous U.S. bombing of Baghdad, have we seen such tonnage unleashed upon a civilian population. What's really amazing is that so soon after Americans awoke to the long train of lies that led to Iraq, they are again bombarded with lies to justify the disaster being unleashed upon Lebanon. Once again, Americans have to catch up to the rest of the world, who recognize the cynical sham of the U.S., sending so-called "peace envoys" who oppose cease-fires. It is a sign of our degeneration that in 50 years we've gone from Ralph Bunche to Condoleeza Rice. Israel is fighting a proxy war on behalf of its U.S. paymasters to intimidate and cow Arab nations. Once again, America is on the wrong side of history. The U.S. isn't on the side of democracy, but on the side of right-wing theocracies. Simple human justice should put us all on the side of the oppressed, the dispossessed, the wretched of this embattled earth. That means on the side of the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance. That means also calling for an end to the occupation of Palestine, Lebanon and, yes, Iraq. I'm proud to endorse the IAC call."
Rally speakers included Ramsey Clark, who deplored the murder of hundreds of civilians in Lebanon and Gaza at the hands of the Israeli military and Washington's backing for the bloodletting. A Lebanese nurse working in New York City spoke of the killing of Lebanese children paid for by the United States, while children also die at underfunded Harlem Hospital. A leader of New York City's Bolivarian Circle, a group of Venezuelans supporting the revolutionary process in Venezuela, expressed solidarity with the embattled Lebanese and Palestinian people, noting that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had condemned the Israeli agression and recalled Venezuela's embassador in Israel. A Palestinian speaker called for unity in the face of efforts to split the solidarity movement. Other speakers included Brenda Stokely of the representatives of U.S. Labor Against the War, The Committee to Free the Cuban Five, as well as representatives of movements in Sudan, Iran and Korea.
Organizers played a taped solidarity message from U.S. political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, which stated, "What a joy to join the many voices saying No Justice, No Peace! U.S. Out of the Middle East! It is refreshing to hear some sanity when we discuss this region and the bloodletting we see every day, there. The U.S. has given its green light to Tel-Aviv to let loose the dogs of war, and let loose they have. Not since the illegal, murderous U.S. bombing of Baghdad, have we seen such tonnage unleashed upon a civilian population. What's really amazing is that so soon after Americans awoke to the long train of lies that led to Iraq, they are again bombarded with lies to justify the disaster being unleashed upon Lebanon. Once again, Americans have to catch up to the rest of the world, who recognize the cynical sham of the U.S., sending so-called "peace envoys" who oppose cease-fires. It is a sign of our degeneration that in 50 years we've gone from Ralph Bunche to Condoleeza Rice. Israel is fighting a proxy war on behalf of its U.S. paymasters to intimidate and cow Arab nations. Once again, America is on the wrong side of history. The U.S. isn't on the side of democracy, but on the side of right-wing theocracies. Simple human justice should put us all on the side of the oppressed, the dispossessed, the wretched of this embattled earth. That means on the side of the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance. That means also calling for an end to the occupation of Palestine, Lebanon and, yes, Iraq. I'm proud to endorse the IAC call."
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