‘U.S. out of the Middle East!’

New York, Aug. 5. WW photo: John Catalinotto

The numbers varied from town to town and city to city, but the main message was very loud and politically clear. Progressive and anti-imperialist forces came out into the streets over the Aug. 4-6 weekend to demand “No justice, no peace—U.S. out of the Middle East”—not tomorrow or next week, but right now.

The national days of protest were called in response to the inhumane war that the U.S.-backed Israeli regime has unleashed upon the people of Lebanon since July 12. More than 1,000 Lebanese—overwhelmingly civilians—have been slaughtered as the terrorist Israeli Defense Forces continue to carry out deadly air strikes against cities and towns throughout Lebanon.

At the same time, the IDF continues to kill Palestinians in the occupied territories of Gaza and the West Bank. Elected Hamas officials are being detained by the Zionist state.

Detroit WW photo: Cheryl LaBash

DETROIT

More than 2,000 people marched through downtown Detroit Aug. 4 in solidarity with the peoples of Lebanon and Palestine and against Israeli military aggression. The Michigan Emergency Committee Against War & Injustice (MECAWI) organized the march, with the support of the Lebanese and Palestinian communities of metro Detroit.

It was the first demonstration on Lebanon held outside the Arab-American community, which is located in Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit. MECAWI organizers felt it was important to march through downtown Detroit to illustrate the widespread sentiment in the region for ending Israeli aggression and giving support to the liberation of Palestine and the sovereignty of Lebanon.

Katrina evacuees surround labor activist Brenda Stokely as she speaks at Times Square rally Aug. 5. WW photo: Monica Moorehead

NEW YORK

Engulfed within a sea of Lebanese and Palestinian flags, more than 5,000 people rallied in Times Square on Aug. 5 and then marched to the General Electric headquarters in Manhattan. GE is a major producer of war munitions being used by the IDF to attack Lebanon. The protest, initiated by the Troops Out Now Coalition and the International Action Center, attracted a significant number of young militants from the Palestinian, Lebanese and other Arab communities, along with other oppressed and working class communities. The speakers represented many struggles in the U.S., including the continuing plight of Katrina evacuees, as well as more than a dozen countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. All connected their issues to the Middle East crisis. Admiration for the courage of Hezbollah and Hamas was expressed in many languages, including Arabic.

Los Angeles WW photo: Bob McCubbin

LOS ANGELES

On Aug. 5 more than 1,000 people gathered at the Westwood Federal Building. Their tone was militant, with Palestinian women expressing their anger and outrage by leading the crowd with defiant chants against Israel. Some young Lebanese women had painted their faces like the flag of Lebanon.

Police at first tried to deny the protesters the right to march on the street. But rally organizers, backed up by the crowd, forced the police to open up the entire street for a march to the offices of Occidental Petroleum.

Javier Rodriguez, representing the March 25th Coalition, spoke on the connections between supporting the immigrant rights movement and the struggle against U.S. imperialism and Israeli apartheid. Jefferson Azevedo of the IAC urged all participants to attend the Aug. 12th demonstration initiated by the National Council of Arab Americans, ANSWER-LA and other organizations.

Philadelphia WW photo: Berta Joubert-Ceci

PHILADELPHIA

A march of 200 Muslims, Jews, Lebanese, Palestinians and U.S. anti-war activists calling for an end to U.S. funding and support for Israel’s war on Lebanon and Palestine gathered at the Federal Building Aug. 4 and then wound through Old City, stopping outside the right-wing Fox News station.

Speakers denounced corporations, including Lockheed Martin and Boeing, that profit from war as well as the media that demonizes the Lebanese and Palestinian resistance and hides the full extent of U.S. involvement in the war. Signs called for an immediate cease fire and pointed out that while Israelis may pull the triggers, it’s the U.S. that pulls the strings.

The protest was organized by a coalition that included the Philadelphia IAC, Sustain, Jewish Voices for Peace, Socialist Action, Suburban Greens, the Greater Camden Unity Coalition and CAIR-Philly.

Boston WW photo: Gerry Scoppettuolo

BOSTON

More than 300 marched through the heart of the Boston shopping district Aug. 5 to demand an immediate cease fire to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and to proclaim support for the heroic resistance of Hezbollah.

Ahmad Kawash of the Palestine American Congress stated: “Hamas and Hezbollah have brought dignity and valor in fighting back against the fourth-biggest army in the world. Israel calls the murder of 1,000 in Lebanon and 300 in Gaza ‘self-defense.’ Israeli aggression shows how desperate the Zionist entity is. It must be eliminated.” The protest began with a rally at the Israeli Consulate in Boston, and was called by IAC Boston.

Other cities

In CLEVELAND, the People’s Fightback Center held a noon protest outside a busy open-air market. Activists from the Cleveland Nonviolence Network and World Can’t Wait participated. A PFC spokesperson told the press that funds being used to arm Israel “should be used for good paying jobs, for health care, and to help those in Lake County who lost everything in the recent floods.”

In ROCHESTER, N.Y., a regional demonstration at the Federal Building was sponsored by the Buffalo and Rochester chapters of the International Action Center, Rochester Committee for Peace and the Rochester International Socialist Organi zation, along with other activists throughout western New York.

The youth group FIST—Fight Imperia lism, Stand Together—organized a protest outside the State Capitol building in RALEIGH, N.C. The protest included members of the Muslim-American Public Affairs Committee, Triangle Lebanese Association and Jews for Just Peace.

Activists rallied at South Park in CHARLOTTE, N.C., and then marched to Congressperson Sue Myrick’s office. The rally was sponsored by the Action Center for Justice, Al-Awda Charlotte, and the Islamic Political Party of America.

The SAN FRANCISCO chapter of the International Action Center held a speakout/outreach day of protest at Federal Plaza. Leaflets explaining the root cause of the Middle East crisis were handed out while representatives of the IAC, World Can’t Wait, Workers World Party, Freedom Socialist Party, Revolutionary Communist Party and others gave talks.

In CHICAGO, activists held a street meeting on State Street and passed out an educational leaflet to a mostly young crowd attending a concert in Grant Park. The Chicago Coalition against War and Racism has called for an emergency demonstration at the Israeli Consulate on Aug. 7.

Other actions were held in NEW HAVEN, Conn.; KINGSTON, N.Y.; MIN NEA POLIS and other cities. Many of the rallies organized support for the important national demonstrations happening Aug. 12 in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and San Francisco, initiated by the National Council of Arab Americans and ANSWER.

Contributors to this round-up include Abayomi Azikiwe, editor, Pan-African News Wire; David Dixon, Ellie Dorritie, Martha Grevatt, Joan Marquardt, John Parker, Lou Paulsen, Betsey Piette, Gerry Scoppettuolo and Dante Strobino.