Minneapolis, MN – About 100 anti-war activists protested outside of the AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) annual meeting at the University of Minnesota on June 30 to oppose the U.S. unconditional support for Israel. The Coalition for Palestinian Rights organized the protest. This protest was a part of a series of protests organized in response to the massacre of the Gaza flotilla Memorial Day weekend.

The Coalition of Palestinian Rights issued a statement that said, “AIPAC supports endless conflict in the Middle East by lobbying for billions of dollars in U.S. military aid to Israel and continued occupation of Palestinian land. AIPAC works to insure that Israel is provided with U.S. military aid and weapons at the cost of more than $3 billion each year. Our helicopters, bullets and bombs are killing Palestinians. Israel’s “Operation Cast Lead” attack on Gaza, which killed 1400 civilians including 352 children, was carried out with U.S.-funded and manufactured helicopters, tanks, rockets and phosphorus bombs. AIPAC also regularly provides a platform for Christian Zionist extremists to foment their anti-Muslim/Arab racism and their call to unbridled militarism.”

Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Minnesota organizer Tracy Molm started off the rally, “The media and government in the U.S., with the pressure of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, the people meeting inside as I speak, are responsible for ensuring that despite these horrendous atrocities…the U.S. still sends billions of dollars to the Israeli government. We believe this is unacceptable, and now more than ever it is time to stand up. As a member of Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Minnesota, I am really happy to see all of you here to help us let AIPAC know that their agenda of hatred and bigotry against the Palestinian people and their stranglehold on American politics will not come to the University of Minnesota campus without a fight!”

Protesters surrounded the entrance to the event and lined the stairwell from the parking ramp to the rally. AIPAC supporters had to walk through a gauntlet of pro-Palestine support to get their event. Many choose to enter the event through the basement to avoid being seen by protesters. However, former senator and Democratic candidate for governor Mark Dayton did walk through protesters to go to the AIPAC event. Supporters chanted “Shame!” at Dayton.

Margaret Sarfehjooy, from Women Against Military Madness, explained, “We are here to tell our politicians that AIPAC does not speak for us. You were not elected to pass AIPAC-written resolutions and bills. You were not elected to enable Israel to continue its illegal occupation of Palestinian land. You were not elected to defer to AIPAC, a non-registered agent of the state of Israel. It’s time to listen to people who want peace in the Middle East, who want to spend our tax money on housing, health care, schools, jobs, not endless wars and occupation.”

Jennie Eisert, a member of the Anti-War Committee, concluded the rally, “AIPAC thinks that they are unstoppable, but they are wrong. They are a racist organization that has too much voice in U.S. foreign policy. We are here to challenge their voice with our own.”

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Palestine #AntiWarCommittee #Zionism #WomenAgainstMilitaryMadness #AmericanIsraelPublicAffairsCommittee #AIPAC #CoalitionForPalestinianRights

Minneapolis, MN – More than 200 people gathered here, June 1, at the office of U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, to protest the Israeli murders of pro-Palestine activists who were bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Speaking to the crowd, Meredith Aby of the Anti-War Committee said, “We are here today to protest the outrageous acts of the Israeli military on Monday, May 31 to the Freedom Flotilla which was trying to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israeli commandos boarded the ships in international waters and killed at least ten people for the ‘crime’ of trying to bring humanitarian aid to Palestinians.”

Aby continued, “The Freedom Flotilla was a convoy of six ships carrying 700 activists, political leaders and journalists from over 20 countries. They were taking around 10,000 tons of basic aid, including food, educational supplies, medicines and construction material to break the brutal and illegal Israeli blockade on Gaza.”

Activists who were trying to bring humanitarian aid were taken hostage by the Israeli government. Some of them have been released and they are speaking out against their attack. Their reports include the following information:

• They used concussion grenades, sound bombs and pellets against the ships. People were attacked by the Israeli navy by plastic bullets, electric shocks and physical attacks.
• Mihalis Grigoropoulos from Greece told Aljazeera, “We did not resist at all, we couldn't even if we had wanted to. What could we have done against the commandos who climbed aboard? The only thing some people tried was to delay them from getting to the bridge, forming a human shield. They were fired upon with plastic bullets and were stunned with electric devices.”
• Hanin Zoabi, a member of the Israeli parliament, was on board the Miva Marmara, the ship that was the scene of a confrontation between activists and Israeli soldiers. That clash left at least ten people dead. She told CNN: “They started beating people. My head was smashed against the ground and they stepped on my head. They later cuffed me and put a bag over my head. They did that to everybody.”

Groups organizing the rally urged an end to all U.S. aid to Israel. They stated, “Israel's criminal actions cannot be permitted to continue. The United States directly supports Israeli atrocities with billions of dollars of military and economic aid every year. All of our Senators and Congressional representatives have supported this aid. This must stop. We call for an immediate end to U.S. ties to Israel. Specifically as people in Minnesota, we call for an end to Minnesota economic ties and financial support of Israel's atrocities.”

The protest was organized by the Coalition for Palestinian Rights, Women Against Military Madness, the Anti-War Committee, International Jewish anti-Zionist Network – Twin Cities, Minnesota Break the Bonds, and Teachers Against Occupation.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Palestine #AntiWarCommittee #WomenAgainstMilitaryMadness #FreedomFlotilla #CoalitionForPalestinianRights #MiddleEast