Washington, DC – While President Donald Trump called ethnically Gaza cleaning and the United States “possesses” the territory, hundreds of demonstrators outside the White House warned it that “Palestine is not for sale ».
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Washington, DC on Tuesday evening to protest against the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House and call the Trump administration to stop providing weapons to Israel.
The demonstrators chanted, “free from Palestine” and denounced the Israeli atrocities in the midst of a strong security presence.
Michael Scirtzer, an activist from the demonstration, said that the Americans did not want their tax money to kill the Palestinians.
Scirtzer rejected Trump’s call to ethnically clean Gaza as a “crazy” position.
“The inhabitants of Palestine will not go anywhere. These are the indigenous peoples of this land, “he told Tel Aviv Tribune. “It is a colonizer mentality to say that you are going to move people.”
Trump had declared earlier that the Palestinians “would love” leaving Gaza if we gave the opportunity, reiterating his call to move the entire population of “permanently” territory.
The American president has faced the reaction of the Arab states and the rights defense groups for his proposed plan, which, according to criticism, would constitute an ethnic cleaning.
But Trump doubled his remarks at a press conference with Netanyahu later Tuesday, saying that the United States “would take control of Gaza” after it was depopulated and “possesses”.
“Architect of a literal genocide”
During the demonstration of the White House, Sofia Ahmad, a 24 -year -old Iranian protester, had trouble finding the words to describe Trump’s call to a mass movement in Gaza.
“The fact that he is the president is disgusting,” Ahmad told Tel Aviv Tribune.
“He is a fascist, a psychopath, a narcissist. But it is always important to present yourself here. »»
She stressed that Netanyahu is a fugitive of justice which is sought by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes in Gaza, in particular by using famine as a weapon of war.
“DC is full of war criminals, but the worst of the worst is here – a man who is the architect of a literal genocide,” said Ahmad.
The offensive supported by the United States of Israel in Gaza has killed nearly 62,000 Palestinians, which includes thousands of disappeared people who have been alleged dead since October 2023.
The main human rights defense groups and the United Nations experts accused Israel of having made a genocide against the Palestinians – an effort to destroy them as a people.
Mohammad Qasim, an organizer of the Palestinian Young Movement, said that the demonstrators were indignant that Netanyahu, “the war criminal”, was invited to Washington, DC.
“We are here in the streets to protest to clearly indicate that he is not welcome in our city,” said Qasim.
He added that “there is no way” that Trump could succeed in forcing the Palestinians to leave Gaza.
“We have seen the resolution and consistency and love of the earth that the Palestinian people of Gaza demonstrated in the last 15 to 16 months,” he said. “If Donald Trump thinks that our people will capitulate and leave their lands, they are sorely mistaken.”
The demonstrators projected a “sought -after” poster with Netanyahu’s face in a hotel overlooking the White House.
They also agitated Palestinian flags and held signs of signs denounces American support to Israel.
“Paying for the accommodation, not the genocide,” read a poster.
A woman disguised as a statue of freedom was held in the middle of the crowd while activists representing Israeli officers agile and dragged her.
“ Golden opportunity ”
Earlier in the day, the defenders of Palestinian rights held a press conference in the same place as the demonstration to denounce the visit of Netanyahu.
Osama AbuiRiShaid, executive director of American Muslims for Palestine, said Trump should not allow Netanyahu to manipulate him and called on the American president to change the dynamics of the American-Israeli relationship.
AbuiRiShaid said that former American president Joe Biden had left Netanyahu to lack respect and show him “the middle finger”.
“Trump has this golden opportunity to show the world which is the boss and that he inaugurates a new era,” ABUIRESHAID told journalists.
“This does not mean that we agree with everything, with all its policies, but we agree with one thing-America should be respected again,” he said.
Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the Antiwar Code Pink group, also said that Trump had “an incredible opportunity” to continue peace in the Middle East.
“Will he go on the road to the Bellicists or will he listen to the voice of the inhabitants of the United States who has been saying for months now, not only did we want to cease it, but we want to stop sending Weapons in Israel, “Benjamin says.
She added that Netanyahu should face justice for the atrocities against the Palestinians, not to be invited to the White House.
“Netanyahu does not belong to the streets of Washington, DC. It belongs to The Hague, ”said Benjamin.
Push for Trump
Certain speakers of the press conference gave a more conciliatory tone, calling on Trump’s commitment to bring peace to the Middle East and to continue an “America First” program.
The defenders argued that the prioritization of American interests would dictate “no” to the requests of Netanyahu for more weapons and support for Israel.
Trump took the credit of the negotiation of the Fragile Gaza ceasefire, which provided very necessary humanitarian aid and jumped to the population of the devastated territory.
Asked about the apparent conciliatory tone, Nihad Awad – The Executive Director of the American -Islamic Relations Council (CAIR) – said it does not represent a change of position.
He noted that his group was “total disagreement” with Trump on certain policies, including the president’s anti-immigration thrust.
“But that doesn’t mean he’s just an enemy of us and people,” said Awad.
“We believe that the office he occupies is so powerful, and he has important opportunities to bring peace to the region, a peace that is based on justice and freedom and dignity and respect for all. It is therefore our call to him – because he can do it, and he promised to do so. »»
A few hours later, Awad published a statement denounced Trump’s call to move the Palestinians to Gaza.
“Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people, not in the United States, and the call of President Trump to move the Palestinians from their lands temporarily or permanently is an absolute non-barer,” he said.
“Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the whole Muslim world have clearly indicated that this delirious idea is unacceptable.”