Seattle high school students demand ‘No U.S. aid to Israel’
Seattle, WA – On November 9, over 200 students from high schools across Seattle walked out and gathered in front of the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building to demand no more U.S. aid to Israel.
As students from Cleveland, Franklin, Nathan Hale and Garfield schools marched and converged at the Federal Building, joined by activists and community members from across the city, the energy was electric. The crowd chanted “From Palestine to Mexico, all the walls have got to go!” and “Not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israel’s crimes!”
Mantak Singh, a member of the University of Washington-Seattle Progressive Student Union, helped kick off the rally, stating, “The United States sends billions of dollars yearly to Israel, and has just approved $14 billion in ‘aid’ that will go to weapons and bombs, and kill more Palestinians. Over 10,000 Palestinians have already died this past month. Many of them are children. So, there is a very clear demand that we must put forward to our government: end U.S. aid to Israel!”
Zainab Chatta and Munira Mohamed, members of the Muslim Student Association at Nathan Hale High School, then took to the stage to tell a powerful story of Palestinian resistance against occupation. Faris Odeh, a Palestinian boy, regularly skipped school to throw rocks at Israeli Defense Force tanks. “After constant attempts to stop him from throwing stones, he kept picking them up. Never once was there any hesitation. Never once did his determination waiver,” said Chatta. Odeh was photographed throwing rocks at these tanks on November 8, 2000 and was killed by Israeli defense forces ten days later.
“Faris is one of many Palestinian martyrs who fought for their land and freedom time and time again. They all inspire us to speak out against injustice in any way we can – whether that be throwing stones at tanks, or taking to the streets in protest,” continued Chatta, to cheers from the crowd.
Jonathan Toledo, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, was the last to take the stage, delivering a final, powerful speech. “We must stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine, and demand that our governments end their aid to Israel! The Israeli occupation forces are paid for by American dollars. The Israeli occupation forces drop American bombs.”
The event wrapped up with students and others who joined more determined than before to fight in support of the Palestinian resistance, and to demand no U.S. aid to Israel.