On Thursday a call was sent out by pro-Palestinian groups for people to join protests in Washington and in New York in support of the state bid by Palestinians at the UN in September.“We would like to invite you to join our demonstrations in front of the White House on September 10th and in front of the United Nations building in New York on September 15th.” The invitation reads, adding that “The purpose of these demonstrations is to declare opposition to US aid to the Israeli occupation of Palestine.”
Palestinian President announced the effort to seek recognition of a Palestinian state at the UN earlier this year. The Israeli right wing government, headed by PM Netanyahu and the White House described the move as not helpful for the peace process.
Activists said that their government aids Israel in its occupation. “ American tax dollars go toward supporting an illegal and humiliating occupation of Palestinian land, the construction of illegal settlements, the annexation of Palestinian farmland, the purchase of weapons and arms used in night raids and military strikes.” Activists said in their invitation.
The US jump started peace talks last September but reached a deadlock two weeks after when Israel refused to freeze construction in West Bank settlements. There are half a million settlers living in the West Bank in settlements that are illegal under international law. The White House efforts to convince Israel to halt construction have so far bared no fruit.
Activists called on the American public to protest the aid money the US channels to Israel, they said that “Right now your money finds its way to this part of the world where children and innocent civilians are killed, injured, and made to suffer.” The activists added that “ It also empowers the Israeli government to further ignore international law and perpetuate its intransigence.”
The invitation concluded by saying that “These demonstrations in September will tell the US government to stop supporting this occupation and stand up for justice and freedom in Palestine.”
Washington announced that if Palestinians go ahead with the state bid in the UN it will cut funding and veto it, President Abbas repeated on a number of occasions that he is not dropping peace talks adding that the state bid at the UN does not conflict with the negotiations with Israel.
