Minneapolis, MN – More than 20 people held banners, May 13, in the busy Uptown neighborhood, to mark Al-Nakba. Al-Nakba, Arabic for “the catastrophe” remembers the 1948 Zionist expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homes.

Organized by the Anti-War Committee, participants passed out hundreds of flyers for a May 15 Call-in day to Congress demanding an end to U.S. aid to Israel.

The Twin Cites action was one of many taking place around the world to mark Al-Nakba and support the hunger strike that is being waged by nearly 2000 Palestinians in Israeli jails.

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The organizers’ statement explained, “The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) has directed the narrative in the Twin Cities for far too long, making it nearly impossible for people who are outraged by the current massacre in Gaza, and the ongoing oppression of Palestinians, to speak up without being labeled ‘anti-Semitic’. Join Jews of conscience and others in the community as we hold a ritual action in front of the JCRC. We hold the JCRC accountable for its condoning of human rights abuses, and we challenge the misconception that Zionism is Judaism… We will express our outrage at the racist colonial State of Israel, and the local organizations that promote and condone Israel's actions!”

The action was held on Tisha B'av, which is a Jewish fast day marking the destruction of the Temples and other tragedies throughout Jewish history. Protesters mourned the destruction of Gaza, the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and the deprivation of Palestinians' human rights.

Participants read the names, ages, and cities for the Palestinians killed in this recent conflict, said a mourner’s kaddish for all the Palestinians who have died in Israel’s latest assault on Gaza and closed by ripping black cloth.

The protesters wore black and were somber. Some protesters carried signs that read “Victory to Gaza” and others had signs from Jewish Voices for Peace that said “Jews oppose Israel’s war on civilians”.

#MinneapolisMN #Gaza #Palestine #AntiZionism #JewishCommunityRelationsCouncil #JCRC #MiddleEast