Worldwide protests slam U.S.-Israeli aggression

Across the world people have mobilized to demonstrate their anger against the Israeli attack on Lebanon and the reactionary U.S. role in the Middle East. Demonstrations took place all through the weekend of July 28-30 and then stepped up as news broke of the murderous massacre of civilians in Qana, Lebanon.

More than 5,000 protesters stormed the UN building in Beirut on July 30 after the massacre in Qana. The U.S. has kept the UN Security Council from even discussing a cease-fire resolution while Israeli forces invade Lebanon.

Actions are scheduled on six continents for the weekend of Aug. 4-6, turning this into the first weekend of global demonstrations.

The most dramatic protests have taken place in the Arab countries. What is significant is that in some countries that are U.S. client states strong, anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli protests took place.

Front windows of UN building in Beirut.

Following the attack on Qana, on July 31 over 1,000 protesters faced off against hundreds of police in downtown Cairo, chanting slogans against U.S. imperialism and criticizing Arab leaders for not acting fast enough against the Israeli invasion and bombing.

Jordan and Egypt are U.S. client states and have recognized Israel. Protesting there means challenging the governments. Even more surprising was the report of a demonstration in eastern Saudi Arabia. According to a July 31 Reuters report, “Shi’ite men and women managed to stage two protests, marching in the towns of al-Qateef and al-Awamiya on July 29.” Protesters carried pictures of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Demon strations also took place in Morocco.

Fury over the massacre in Qana.

In Iraq, even those forces in the puppet Iraqi government have spoken out against the Israeli aggression and the U.S. role. The Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani condemned the Qana massacre and called on the international community to press immediately for a ceasefire and put an end to this “horrendous misery.” Meanwhile thousands of people in Moqtada Al-Sadr’s group demonstrated in Baghdad and Nasiriyah.

In Syria, a U.S. target, the Associated Press estimates that on July 30 some 2,000 women dressed in black gathered at a main square in downtown Damascus carrying Lebanese and Hezbollah flags. In Amman, the capital of neighboring Jordan, more than 1,000 people marched to nearby United Nations’ offices, shouting “Death to Israel” and “Down, down U.S.A.”

There were demonstrations against Australian Prime Minister John Howard in Perth, protests at three places in Britain and a march in Belfast, Ireland on July 29. That day 100 demonstrators marched before the U.S. Embassy in Reykjavik, Iceland, and 6,000 marched in Brussels, Belgium, where the headquarters of NATO is. A march went across the Brooklyn Bridge in New York that same day. Some 600 people gathered to protest in downtown Lisbon, Portugal, on July 26.

In Israel, some 200 people protested July 30 following the news of the Qana bombing, and another military reservist refused duty in Lebanon.

In Turkey a three-day sit-in protest of Israeli aggression in the Middle East staged outdoors at Istanbul’s Taksim Gezi Park ended July 28 with a public rally gathering some 3,000 protestors organized by the trade union confederation (DISK). Protesters flew balloons on which “Peace” and “Murderer America get out of Middle East” were written.

Protests set for Aug. 4-6

Protests the weekend of Aug. 4-6 are planned in 11 cities in Britain and at least that number in the United States. Other actions are set for Brussels and in Paris and other French cities, in Mexico City, and in Heidelberg, Germany.

Protests are expected following prayer on Aug. 4 in many countries that are mostly Moslem, and by the Arab and Moslem Diaspora in all parts of the world.

In addition, some 63 Communist Parties signed a statement calling for an end to the U.S.-Israeli aggression and encouraging anti-war actions.