Jacksonville, FL – On Thursday night, Nov. 9, the Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network (JPSN) protested in Jacksonville outside of an event celebrating the creation of the apartheid state of Israel, and which hosted the grandson of the first prime minister of Israel, Alon Ben-Gurion.

Despite harsh weather conditions, 20 community activists and organizers with JPSN came out in front of the synagogue to show that there is opposition to the occupation of Palestine. Speakers included members of the Jacksonville Community Action Committee, UNF Students for a Democratic Society and others.

JPSN organizer Sara Haj-Yahia led chants such as “One, two, three four! Occupation no more! Five, six, seven, eight! Stop the Zionist settler state!” and “Displacing lives since ‘48! There’s nothing here to celebrate!”

Haj-Yahia states, “It was important for us to show opposition to this event celebrating not only the grandson of Ben Gurion but the settler colonial project that Palestinians have been resisting for over a century. With the upcoming events centering Palestine in Jax, this was a great protest, even while we were rained on.”

“I thought it was amazing to see people speaking out against apartheid. I hope I can attend more events like this in the future,” said Monique Williamson, with the Jacksonville Community Action Committee.

The Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network will also be hosting a panel Dec. 2, at University of North Florida entitled, ‘Palestinian Resistance: 100 Years After Balfour.’ The event will provide the community with a chance to get educated on the history of Zionism, including the Balfour Declaration, as well as Palestinian resistance to the colonial project.

#JacksonvilleFL #Palestine #Balfour #AlonBenGurion #MiddleEast