Champaign, IL – At Champaign County’s annual Independence Day parade, Queers for Palestine took home the top prize with a float titled “Queers Against Genocide.”

The float was unapologetically bold – draped in rainbow colors and Palestinian flags, without a single American flag in sight. The float was a favorite among spectators, many who joined in with chants for “Free Palestine.”

Elizabeth Sotiropoulos, one of the organizers said, “James Baldwin’s description of his love for America matches mine, ‘I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.’ By joining with other queer folks to build this award-winning float celebrating the Pride of the Heartland we love so much, we were able to share our art and our love for humanity and liberation, on a day when Americans are reflecting on freedom’s progress. I am proud to be a part of the continuous movement of helping America become what we know we can be: one nation, indivisible, with liberation and justice for all.”

“The parade victory was more than symbolic,” said Jessica Yasin, an organizer with the Champaign-Urbana Muslim Action Committee and Champaign-Urbana Break the Bonds. “It reflects a community ready to leave behind the hypocrisy of the past and move boldly toward freedom and solidarity. Now it’s time for elected officials to meet us there.”

In spring 2024, Urbana passed one of the few ceasefire resolutions in the country. In November 2024, 70% of township voters supported a resolution to end all military aid to Israel. And in May, over 70% of students at the University of Illinois campus voted for the university to divest from companies complicit in human rights violations.

While the city of Urbana has already passed a ceasefire resolution, Champaign remains silent, despite over a year of residents showing up, speaking out and demanding action at council meetings.

“The people of Champaign-Urbana are leading. It’s time for our leaders to catch up,” said Bryan Maxwell, an organizer with Champaign-Urbana for Palestine. Those leaders include Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski and State Treasurer Michael Frerichs. Budzinski marched with the Champaign County Democrats on Friday, July 4, and made a point to avoid the pro-Palestine section. Budzinski previously fled a townhall when protesters arrived and demanded she stop sending weapons to Israel.

Local organizations also joined the statewide divestment campaign demanding that Mike Frerichs – born in Champaign County – divest all state tax dollars from Israel Bonds. Urbana-Champaign Jews for Ceasefire carried a banner in the Fourth of July parade. They also joined other groups for a recent protest led by Chicago-area organizers at the Illinois state investment board for which Frerichs is the vice chair. They will continue to raise the demand for divestment at the next ISBI meeting in Chicago on September 19.

The people have voted. The people are moving. The message is clear. Champaign-Urbana is for a free Palestine and will not stop until we’re all free.

#ChampaignIL #IL #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Ceasefire #July4

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the International League of Peoples’ Struggle.

The International League of Peoples’ Struggle celebrates the announcement of a Gaza ceasefire deal between the Palestinian resistance forces and the genocidal occupation state that has waged a war of extermination against the Palestinian people for more than the past year, in actuality for now more than a century.

Since the launch of the October 7th 2023 Al Aqsa Flood operation, more than 46,000 Palestinians have been confirmed killed as well as more than 110,00 injured. This is only the confirmed killings, and adding up the number of missing under the rubble and deaths from injuries, cold, and forced starvation would bring the total deaths to potentially well over 200,000, with thousands suffering amputations. This is a crime of unimaginable brutality committed by the Zionists and funded and protected by the most savage imperialist profiteers, most notably the United States. At this point we should also remember the thousands of political prisoners that remain in Zionist detention, and the fight for their freedom must continue.

This ceasefire is a victory for the Palestinian people who have endured the most horrific, brutal, and blatantly racist genocidal violence for more than a year. It was only achieved due to the heroic steadfastness of the Palestinian people to remain on their rightful land at all costs, and of the Palestinian resistance to fight on to defend that right and that land. Praise must also be given to the unconditional support for Palestine from region-wide Axis of Resistance in Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Iran against whom the imperialists and Zionists are preparing to continue their war, and the anti-imperialist movement must waste no time in learning the hard-fought lessons from this period of united struggle against a united target. The leadership over the many decades and the countless martyrs of Palestine fighting for the eventual end of the occupation will forever be remembered as having given their lives for this stage towards the full liberation of Palestine.

The ceasefire is not due to any good will on the part of the Zionists or their imperialist, fascist funders, but instead was forced due to the military defeats and international isolation of the Zionists diplomatically. The grotesque face of ‘Israel’ has been fully exposed to the world and it can never go back to showing itself as the only ‘democracy in the Middle East.’ It is not only the Zionist state that has lost all credibility but also the United States, the most vicious of imperialist powers through history. The Biden administration has finally pressured the Zionist entity to take the ceasefire deal in order to ‘steal a victory’ from the incoming Trump presidency, showcasing the political games of the imperialists at the expense of the Palestinian people. Nevertheless, the Zionist entity is in deep economic, political, and diplomatic crises despite all of the military aid and training the U.S. has given it, signaling that the ceasefire is only the start of the end for the settler-colony.

The ILPS celebrates this peoples’ victory but also knows that the Zionist occupation and the genocidal war in general are not over. The Zionist apartheid state has violated the Lebanon ceasefire every day since it was made, and we know they will do the same in Gaza. Already, US Senator and incoming Secretary of State for President Trump, Marco Rubio during his confirmation speech stated, “How can any nation-state on the planet coexist side by side with a group of savages like Hamas?” These are blood-chilling words and people of the world must be ready to fight against more deadly wars of aggression, to be thrust on our territories and countries. The willful aiding and abetting of the US, the NATO powers and the wider Western world is the deadliest tool in supporting the genocide.

The people of the world, especially in the US and the imperialist countries, must continue to take to the streets and fight in unconditional solidarity with the Palestinian people to pressure and break the will of the imperialists to keep funding the Zionists until the resistance is victorious and Palestine is free from the river to the sea!

#International #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Gaza #Ceasefire #ILPS #Statement

Milwaukee, WI – A crowd of nearly 700 people gathered at the Islamic Society of Milwaukee on Sunday night, January 19, in response to the news of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. The Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine (WCJP) called for an indoor rally to commemorate all the martyrs of these past 470 days and to revitalize the Palestinian solidarity movement in Milwaukee following the ceasefire agreement and release of Palestinian hostages.

The ceasefire was welcomed by those in attendance, with several speakers connecting the significance of the pressure mounted within the U.S. with the efforts of the Palestinian resistance. The agreement will provide a much needed respite to the people in Gaza and many hostages will be freed.

“The ceasefire is only the first step,” stated Janan Najeeb, co-chair of the WCJP. Najeeb continued, “We also recognize that there are many challenges ahead. One thing is certain, we, along with the people of Gaza, refuse to return to what October 6, 2023 looked like for the people of Gaza.”

Local Palestinian and Jewish poets recited their works to commemorate the tens of thousands of lives lost since October 7. A seven-year-old child also offered remarks as screens next to the stage played a video on loop that listed the names of all the Palestinian children who have been murdered in the past 15 months. The evening concluded with Mostafa Zaibaq, who grew up in Gaza, singing the Palestinian national anthem.

“We must recognize this as an achievement. The brave people of Palestine stood up and faced down the IOF, which is fueled by the supposedly wealthiest county in the world, and the Palestinian people are still standing tall!” exclaimed Alan Chavoya of the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

There is much more work to be done both in Palestine and the U.S. as the Palestinian people liberate themselves. Palestine will be free, and this ceasefire agreement is a step in that direction.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Ceasefire #WCJP

St. Paul, MN – The Saint Paul city council unanimously passed a ceasefire resolution at their meeting on March 6. Councilmember Cheniqua Johnson introduced the ceasefire resolution in front of a packed chamber. The resolution calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, an end to unconditional U.S. aid to Israel, the release of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners, and facilitation of the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

With passage, Saint Paul is the fifth Minnesota city to pass a ceasefire resolution, following Minneapolis, Columbia Heights, Hastings and Moorhead. However, the wording is not as progressive as the Minneapolis resolution, which is being held up nationally as being groundbreaking for calling for an end to U.S. aid to Israel.

Elizabeth McLister was in the chamber during passage, “ I'm grateful that another city council has passed a ceasefire resolution. I'm proud of the hard work that facilitated this achievement. But this move needn't have taken so long and the resolution that wound up passing should have been Yang's more principled draft. As a Saint Paul resident, I won't soon forget that Nelsie Yang was the solitary conscientious voice within a body of supposedly forward-thinking elected officials – a body that thwarted attempts at transparency, collaboration and accountability at every step and finally relented for fear of bad optics.” McLister, a Saint Paul resident, is a member of the MN Anti-War Committee and MN Families for Palestine.

Supporters from the Free Palestine Coalition attended weekly city council meetings and participated in call-in days for a month to pressure the council to take action. At last week’s meeting, Councilmember Nelsie Yang tried to introduce a ceasefire resolution but she was stopped by Council President Mitra Jalali, who abruptly ended the meeting. The Free Palestine Coalition had been working closely with Yang to get a resolution introduced.

Sarah Martin, a member of Women Against Military Madness and the Free Palestine Coalition explained, “Despite being an all women, young, progressive council representing many oppressed nationality communities, all but one were reluctant and resistant to passing a resolution and refused to meet and collaborate with the Free Palestine Coalition. We gave them a version modeled on the strong progressive Minneapolis resolution with the addition of the costs to the community of the U.S. support of the Israeli genocide. Councilwoman Nelsie Yang, daughter of Hmong refugees, worked closely with us. In the end, the council bowed to the community pressure and passed a watered down version of the resolution we wanted.”

The Free Palestine Coalition’s next action is to march in Saint Paul on March 9 for International Women’s Day.

#StPaulMN #TwinCitiesMN #AntiWarMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palestine #MNAWC #WAMM #MNFPC #CityCouncil #Ceasefire

Columbia Heights, MN – On Monday, February 26, the city council of Columbia Heights voted 4-1 to pass a resolution calling for an end to Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza. The Columbia Heights community packed the room, as it did at a previous city council meeting to provide public comment and encourage the council to vote in favor of the resolution.

The Columbia Heights resolution is just one example of a wave of historic resolutions adopted by cities across the country. Minneapolis has passed the most progressive ceasefire resolution in the U.S., which calls for an end not only to the genocide in Gaza, but also to all military aid to Israel. Columbia Heights’ resolution cites the International Court of Justice’s ruling against Israel and demands an immediate halt of all weapons shipments that may be used in Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

The Free Palestine Coalition, a Twin Cities-based coalition of Palestine activist groups like the Minnesota Anti-War Committee, American Muslims for Palestine-MN; Faculty, Librarians, Alumni, Graduate Students, and Staff for Justice in Palestine (FLAGS-JP), and many others, organized several call-in campaigns and turned out community members to city council meetings to make an impact on the council.

Brandon Veal, a member of the Minnesota Anti-War Committee, states, “All of [the council members’] statements focused on how this was very much a local issue. Many of the members pointed out that they received more calls and emails from members of the community about this issue than any other as long as they’ve been on the council.”

Veal continued, “As the final vote was made, the crowd erupted in applause for the successfully passed resolution. There were many moments of warm embraces from community members. Both the meeting two weeks ago and Monday’s felt like times of collective grieving and healing. At the previous meeting, community members stepped up to the podium one by one to express why this resolution was so important to them, something that went on for nearly three hours.”

Over 70 cities across the U.S. have now passed resolutions demanding a ceasefire. The Free Palestine Coalition is currently campaigning to get a similar resolution passed in Saint Paul. Dr. Sima Shakhsari, a member of FLAGS-JP, stated “It was heartwarming and refreshing to see the Columbia Heights city council take the time to listen to their constituents and vote for a ceasefire. As a Saint Paul resident, I hope that my city council members join Columbia Heights and stand on the right side of history by voting to stop this genocide.”

#ColumbiaHeightsMN #AntiWarMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palestine #CityCouncil #Ceasefire #MNAWC #AMP #FPC #SJP

St. Paul, MN – On February 27, over 100 students rallied on Macalester College campus, followed by a march to the high-traffic intersection of Snelling and Summit Avenues, to demand that Saint Paul city council take a stand and pass a ceasefire resolution.

At the intersection the students chanted, “City council you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide!” at rush hour traffic, with a dozen supporters who joined off the street.

Minneapolis, Saint Paul’s neighboring city, passed one of the most progressive ceasefire resolutions in the country on February 8, calling for an end to U.S. aid to Israel. Despite this, Saint Paul city council has shown considerable resistance to even introducing a ceasefire resolution, which has already been written by a coalition of local organizations, to be voted on.

Despite the hundreds of calls from supporters of a ceasefire resolution and Palestine activists packing the city council meetings for weeks, so far only city council member Nelsie Yang has agreed to introduce and support a ceasefire resolution.

The protest was led by a coalition of student activist groups from across the local colleges and universities, including Mac for Palestine, St Kate’s Student’s for Justice in Palestine (SJP), University of Minnesota SDS and SJP, as well as students from Hamline University and Augsburg College.

A senior at Macalester college and a member of Mac for Palestine, spoke to the crowd, saying “If we cannot convince those who hold positions of power to act on their humanity alone, we must wield our collective power as students to act as an organized front against institutional complicity in genocide.”

Mac for Palestine’s main focus currently is pushing Saint Paul city council for a ceasefire resolution, having marched students to join Women Against Military Madness’ weekly rallies for Palestine every Friday for the past several months.

Emily Chu of UMN SDS, stated “It is our moral obligation to resist the imperialist, war-mongering machinations of our government and say no more to the genocide that has taken the lives of over 30,000 Palestinians.”

#StPaulMN #AntiWarMovement #StudentMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palestine #SDS #SJP #CityCouncil #Ceasefire

St. Paul, MN – On February 21, the Free Palestine Coalition organized their Saint Paul supporters to pack the Saint Paul city council meeting for the third week in a row to show support for their passage of a ceasefire resolution.

When Palestine solidarity activists tried to speak during the public comment section they were told that their comments were not on topic and that they had to stop talking.

When Council President Mitra Jalali cut off Sana Wazwaz and said that there would not be any consideration of a ceasefire resolution, the chamber erupted with chants like “Saint Paul council you can't hide, help us stop this genocide!”

Eventually Jalali called for a recess and the entire city council, except for Council Member Nelsie Yang, who stayed to hear speeches of support from the public for a ceasefire. Yang is the only council member who has agreed to introduce and vote for a ceasefire resolution.

Even though similar ceasefire resolutions have passed in city councils in Minneapolis, Hastings, and 70 cities across the United States, six of the seven Saint Paul council members are blocking even the proposal of such a resolution.

After stopping the meeting, the Free Palestine Coalition held a press conference in front of Saint Paul City Hall where residents spoke out in favor of a ceasefire resolution.

Kent Mori is a Ward 4 resident, a member of the Climate Justice Committee and a longtime Palestine supporter who spoke to the crowd after the meeting: “We’ve been told that the issue is too complex, complicated, too this, too that, for a ceasefire resolution in Saint Paul. Well, I’m here to say, it’s simple. Do you support the mass murder in Gaza that is being perpetrated by Genocide Joe, other Democratic Party officials like Amy Klobuchar and the Israeli regime? Or do you support the Palestinian people, the overwhelming majority of the people across the world, indeed, the majority of the American people in a just demand for a ceasefire?”

Deb Konechne, a Ward 1 resident and member of AFSCME Local 34, also spoke to the crowd, addressing the irony that they are trying to persuade Saint Paul’s first all-female city council to take action, “ I have heard that members of my city council say that this is not their issue, that they don’t deal with international issues, that this is not a local issue. Since when, as women, as mothers, as humanitarians did we stop caring about the plight of women and children anywhere in the world? When did we become so shallow, so limited that we can put on blinders to ignore the atrocities, the maiming, the murder of tens of thousands, the majority of whom are women and children?”

Other speakers included Saint Paul residents Brad Sigal with the MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee; Lana Barkawi with Mizna; Max Vast, president of AFSCME 3800; Ashraf Ashkar with MN Break the Bonds, and Dr. Sima Shakhsari, a University of Minnesota professor.

#StPaulMN #AntiWarMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palestine #MNAWC #MNFreePalestineCoalition #CityCouncil #Ceasefire

Denver, CO – On Monday, February 12, members of the Colorado Palestine Coalition (CPC) rallied at the City and County Building to speak in favor of a Denver city council vote to approve a ceasefire proclamation.

The CPC had been pushing the Denver city council to adopt a resolution calling for a ceasefire for months as the genocide in Gaza continues, with the city of Rafah suffering severe bombings the day before that left hundreds of Palestinians dead. The resolution finally presented for a vote was watered down compared to the original People’s Proclamation drafted by members of the CPC, with no mention of the 75 years of Israeli apartheid, the brutal occupation of the Palestinian people, and no call to end the military aid being sent to occupation forces.

Even so, activists were optimistic as they gathered in their hundreds, first filling and then overflowing even the overflow room, and spilling into the hallway outside the council. To date, over 48 city councils across the U.S. have also voted in favor of a ceasefire, which is supported by the majority of U.S. citizens.

“Somehow Palestinians are the only people who don’t get killed – we just die by magic bullets and magical bombs fired by nobody,” said Abdullah Elagha, a leader of the Colorado Palestine Coalition who has lost many family members to Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. “The language in front of you is so simple: ceasefire now,” said Elagha, finishing to uproarious applause from fellow activists gathered outside the city council room.

Over an hour later, as council members fled via police escort to vote online, the council voted to reject the proclamation 4 to 8. Protesters chanted, “Vote them out!” after booing the fleeing council members who had voted against the proclamation for spurious reasons, such as council member Flor Alvidrez citing a “lack of respectful dialogue.” After the council members fled, the protesters read out the original People’s Proclamation without redactions and committed themselves to continue the fight for the Palestinian people, finishing off with an impromptu speech outside on the building’s steps by Tim Hernandez, a Colorado House of Representatives member.

Protesters vowed to continue their struggle for Palestinian liberation. “We’re super disappointed but I don’t think it’s a surprise,” said activist Emily Ingraham, adding, “But there is always hope and we are going to keep fighting.”

#DenverCO #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #MiddleEast #Ceasefire

St. Paul, MN – On February 9, 60 activists rallied at the weekly Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) Free Palestine bannering to celebrate the historic victory in Minneapolis, On February 8, the Minneapolis city council voted to override the mayor's veto and passed the strongest ceasefire resolution in the country, which included a demand for the U.S. to end aid to Israel. Activists at the rally vowed to continue the work for a similar resolution in Saint Paul. The Saint Paul campaign began this week with a large rally at the Saint Paul City Hall and by packing the city council meeting the next day.

#StPaulMN #AntiWarMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palestine #CityCouncil #Ceasefire #WomensMovement #WeekOfAction4Palestine

Minneapolis, MN – The Minneapolis city council voted, February 8, to override Mayor Jacob Frey’s veto of their ceasefire resolution.

Palestinians and Palestine solidarity activists are celebrating the victory across the country. They are excited that Minneapolis is joining cities like Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta and Detroit in calling for a ceasefire and an end to the genocide in Palestine.

Sana Wazwaz, a leader with American Muslims for Palestine-MN, explains the significance of the vote, “Our victory signals a radical shift in what is considered acceptable criticism of Israel. We are the first city in the U.S. to pass a resolution to call for a complete end to U.S. aid to Israel; a measure that was once ‘too radical’ is now becoming normalized. Minneapolis has broken that barrier, and we believe that our city will set the precedent for cities across the U.S. to continue pushing that boundary, for language to become more and more progressive. To override Mayor Frey's veto is to send the message that principles win over politics – that Minneapolis stuck to their strong language, and didn't back down despite pressure to conform to ceasefire resolution norms.”

Meredith Aby, an activist with the Anti-War Committee, explains the next steps for the Free Palestine Coalition: “We have started attending Saint Paul city council meetings and pressuring them to join Minneapolis in calling for a ceasefire and an end to the U.S. support for genocide in Palestine. We want to keep this momentum growing so that we can end U.S. aid to Israel.”

#MinneapolisMN #AntiWarMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palestine #CityCouncil #Ceasefire #MNAWC #AMPMN

St. Paul, MN – 200 people packed the Saint Paul city council meeting on February 7 to send a message to the city council that the residents of Saint Paul want them to take a stand against genocide.

Their signs stressed the importance of Saint Paul having a ceasefire resolution. The signs read, “Take a stand against genocide” and “Palestine is a local issue!” All of the signs also demanded, “Pass a ceasefire resolution now!”

The action at the city council meeting was the culmination of a weeklong call-in campaign to the council members. The day before, the Free Palestine Coalition held a rally outside Saint Paul City Hall with 300 people attending. The Free Palestine Coalition organized the attendance at the city council meeting and the rally to not only raise awareness but to make sure the city council knows that there is support for ceasefire resolutions, including ending the aid to Israel.

Because of the large crowd presence, at the end of the meeting, Council President Mitra Jalali had to acknowledge them.

The Free Palestine Coalition plans to continue the campaign until the city council passes a ceasefire resolution that includes the ending aid to Israel. The Free Palestine Coalition just won an important victory in Minneapolis with their ceasefire resolution passing, and the coalition plans to keep the momentum going now with the other Twin City.

#StPaulMN #AntiWarMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palesine #CityCouncil #Ceasefire

Minneapolis, MN – On February 1, 400 people gathered across from the Minneapolis City Hall to protest Mayor Jacob Frey’s veto of the ceasefire resolution that the Minneapolis city council had passed the previous week.

The Free Palestine Coalition organized the protest to urge the city council to override Frey’s veto. The original resolution passed with nine votes, enough to override the mayor’s veto if all nine stay united behind the original resolution.

Protesters chanted, “Ceasefire, let it pass! Put your veto in the trash” and “Mayor Frey, Mayor Frey – how many children need to die?” outside Minneapolis City Hall for over an hour as rush hour traffic drove through downtown.

Speakers from Jewish Voice for Peace – Twin Cities, American Muslims for Palestine – Minnesota, the Minnesota Anti-War Committee, and Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar all spoke to the need for the city council to override the mayor’s veto. They praised the resolution for being the only one in the country so far to call for an end to U.S. aid to Israel, which facilitates genocidal attacks on Palestinians in Gaza.

In Mayor Frey’s veto message, he claimed the ceasefire resolution was “one-sided” and “uplifts the history of Palestinians, and all but erases that of Israeli Jews.”

Trent Fast, a member of the Minnesota Anti-War Committee, said he came to the protest to send a message to the mayor and the city council. “I came out tonight because Mayor Frey's moral compass appears to be non-existent,” Fast said.

Fast continued, “If he wants to discuss Israel's ‘history,’ I invite him to read about the Balfour Declaration of 1917, which literally stated the British government's desire to establish a national home for Jewish people in Palestine. I invite him to read about the Nakba of 1948 and the atrocities inflicted on innocent Palestinian civilians by the Israeli army, as documented by Israeli author and historian Ilan Pappe in his book The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine. I invite him to consider that Israel exists solely as a vassal for American taxpayer funded racist terror in the Middle East, in the name of resource accumulation and geopolitical control. Once he comes to terms with these things, then maybe we can talk seriously about Israel's ‘history’. The city council needs to put Mayor Frey's shameful ignorance on full display by standing on the right side of history and overriding his veto next week.”

On January 31, Chicago passed a ceasefire resolution. When the Minneapolis city council overrides the mayor’s veto, Minneapolis will become the 47th city in the U.S. to pass a ceasefire resolution. The city council is expected to take the override vote on Thursday, February 8.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiWarMovement #International #Palestine #CityCouncil #Ceasefire #MNAWC

Chicago, IL – The Palestinian community and their movement allies won an historic vote January 31. With 500 protesters crowded into City Hall, the Chicago city council passed a ceasefire resolution, becoming the largest city in the country to have done so.

The vote was extremely close: 24 to 23. In fact, the vote among council members ended in a tie – 23 to 23. Mayor Brandon Johnson broke the tie. He forecast his courageous action after last week’s city council meeting when he said to the press, referring to the genocide in Gaza, “The killing has to stop. So, yes, we need a ceasefire,” Johnson said.

The resolution is also much stronger than many passed in other cities. It was presented as an Expression of Support for United Nations Resolution 377 known as “Uniting for Peace.” Adopted overwhelmingly by the UN General Assembly, it calls for an immediate ceasefire. It reports the toll of Palestinians by the Israeli military: the number killed, including that it’s a majority women and children; as well as the tens of thousands wounded. It describes the destruction of hospitals, schools, places of worship, and homes in Gaza. It also recounts the level of political support for the ceasefire demand across the U.S.

On the other hand, the Zionists and their allies in the city council pointed out several times that this resolution would go against the policy of President Biden in his total support for Israel’s war.

Protest works, and elections make a difference

Hundreds of Palestinians and their supporters have been showing up in City Hall for the past three months. First, they came out to oppose a Zionist resolution that regurgitated the Israeli lies against the Palestinian resistance. Then ceasefire resolutions started to be presented in November.

Frank Chapman, field organizer of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, speaking in the hallway before the vote today, said, “We’ve come down to support this ceasefire resolution, put forward by Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez. We believe we’re going to win this resolution. We’re proud of the fact that the mayor of our city has come out in favor of a ceasefire.

“But more than that, according to the recent decision by the International Court of Justice, our government is engaged in a criminal enterprise with Israel. In other words, Netanyahu and Joe Biden are war criminals. In fact, we should change Joe Biden’s name to Genocide Joe Butcher Biden.

“It’s very important that Chicago, with the largest Palestinian population in the U.S., come out decisively for stopping genocide!” Chapman concluded.

The resolution was put forward by Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez and Alderman Daniel La Spata to call for an end to Israel’s military onslaught against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

When the crowd of Palestinian youth waiting on the first floor of City Hall heard the news of the victory, and that it had been a tie broken by the mayor, they erupted into the chant, “We will free Palestine! In our lifetime!”

The U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN) and the Coalition for Justice in Palestine held a rally after the city council victory across the street in Daley Plaza, featuring the sponsors of the resolution.

Hatem Abudayyeh, USPCN national chair, expressed thanks, naming “Rodriguez-Sanchez, La Spata, and a number of other champions of the resolution and of our community, including Alders Byron Sigcho-Lopez, Jessie Fuentes, Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, Jeanette Taylor, and of course, Mayor Brandon Johnson.”

Abudayyeh added, “We would not have been able to win this battle without each and every one of them, and now we move onward to use this victory as inspiration to continue demanding that Genocide Joe Biden stop supporting the genocide against our people.”

All of these elected officials have come into office since 2015, as a result of the united front of labor and Black and Latino community movement forces that began to emerge in Chicago in 2010. The election of Brandon Johnson, a veteran of the Chicago Teachers Union, is the most recent and highest office reached by this movement. Now the movement has stepped on to new territory with this resolution against a key feature of U.S. imperialist strategy.

This also portends a major struggle as the Democratic National Convention will be held in Chicago August 19-22. Protests are already being planned by a coalition that includes CAARPR, USPCN, and other organizations.

#ChicagoIL #AntiWarMovement #International #Palestine #USPCN #BrandonJohnson #CityCouncil #Ceasefire

Tampa, Fl – After weeks of protests all over the world, the large Palestinian American community and activists within Tampa continued to protest on Saturday, May 22, in downtown Tampa. Approximately 300 supporters and community members rallied to demand freedom for those living in Gaza and an end to the Israeli occupation over all of Palestine.

After the ceasefire of last week, many protesters and organizers demanded that the fight for Palestine has to continue.

“The ceasefire does not mean that we stop fighting. The only thing that has changed is that Gaza isn’t being bombed daily, but we should not settle there,” stated Laith Abdel Hader, an organizer of the event. “Palestinians in the West Bank are still living in a state of apartheid, and the 7 million Palestinian refugees still don’t have a right to return to their homeland.”

After marching through downtown Tampa, the protest ended with speeches and chants that echoed the calls to carry on the fight.

“The fight is not over, and will not be over until Palestine is liberated,” said Abdel Hader.

The organizers vowed to continue protesting and fighting towards the end of U.S. aid to Israel and an end to the apartheid system in occupied Palestine.

#TampaFL #AntiwarMovement #OppressedNationalities #Palestine #MiddleEast #PeoplesStruggles #Ceasefire

We reject the so-called ceasefire proposal; the resistance is shaking the strongest military in the region.

Comrade Hani Thawabteh, member of the Central Committee of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, said that the so-called ceasefire proposal is a new attempt to chain the Palestinian resistance, and that the response of the resistance to this initiative will come through targeting Zionist settlements and sites.

The Arab regimes and “international community” are co-conspirators in the Zionist aggression on Gaza, said Thawabteh. Thawabteh noted that the so-called ceasefire initiative excludes the needs of the Palestinian people, and guarantees no “calm” from the ongoing attacks by settlers in the West Bank and Jerusalem and the ongoing Zionist attacks of all forms against our people everywhere.

In an interview with Al-Quds TV, Thawabteh said that the Palestinian resistance was able to record real advances in their response to the Zionist assault on Gaza, forming a dilemma for the Zionist enemy which seeks to grasp at an initiative for “calm.” The occupation state launched a war against civilians in full view of the people of the world, said Thawabteh, and meanwhile the resistance proved its readiness through tactics presented by the resistance in the field, and despite its modest resources, it has shaken the strongest military arsenal in the Middle East.

Responding to the threats of occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to continue and escalate their assault in the event of non-compliance with the so-called ceasefire, Thawabteh said that “the Palestinian people have the will and determination to continue their struggle until the last drop of blood. Zionist threats have been continuous since the first Zionist assault on Gaza.” He warned that any ground invasion and war will become a cemetery for the soldiers of the occupation, and that the enemy understands that such a ground invasion will be very costly.

#GazaPalestine #Gaza #PopularFrontForTheLiberationOfPalestine #Palestine #PeoplesStruggles #Israel #Statement #Ceasefire #Siege #2014 #MiddleEast

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines hereby announces a one-month extension of the earlier ceasefire declaration issued to commands of the New People’s Army (NPA) and units of the people’s militias operating in the areas devastated by the 8 November super typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan). The ceasefire declaration, which practically commenced on 8 November 2013, and was originally set to expire on 2359 hours of 24 November, will now remain in effect up to 2359 hours of 24 December.

This ceasefire declaration covers the following regional commands of the NPA:

Eastern Visayas Regional Command Panay Regional Command Central Visayas Regional Command Negros Island Command

The ceasefire declaration is being extended by another month in view of the extent and gravity of the devastation of the super typhoon that has been made worse by the gross negligence and inutility of the ruling Aquino regime. This will allow all committees of the people’s democratic government, respective commands of the NPA and units of the people’s militias in the devastated areas to continue with rehabilitation efforts.

Revolutionary forces in the area are currently busy in facilitating the distribution of relief supply from various people’s organizations and media outfits. They are engaged in the reconstruction of homes, as well as in the mobilization of people in efforts to resume production and wage mass struggles. Disaster victims are being organized in order to assert their demand for reforms to address their urgent needs. The demand of the peasant masses for land reform and of the fisherfolk for fisheries reform have become particularly urgent in the devastated areas.

Revolutionary forces in Luzon and Mindanao have carried out efforts to generate funds and supplies for the victims of the recent disaster. They are in close coordination with media and people’s organizations which are busy extending assistance to the devastated areas.

Respective units of the NPA and the people’s militias shall remain in active defense mode within the period of effectivity of this declaration. They shall exert all-out effort to assist the masses but will exercise great caution to remain invisible to the enemy and avoid vulnerabilities. They should maintain a heightened sense of alertness against the hostile acts and encroachments of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in areas within the scope of authority of the people’s democratic government.

This is in view of the fact that despite the widespread sufferings and hardships brought about by the recent disaster, the Aquino regime and the AFP have refused to relent in their offensive military operations and campaigns of suppression being carried out under the Oplan Bayanihan war against the people. The AFP has deployed several specialized units for transportation into Eastern Visayas. This is, however, a token effort considering the fact that it has 10,000 soldiers under the command of the 8th Infantry Division which remain focused on carrying out “counterinsurgency” operations within the region and continue to be on an offensive rampage. The Aquino regime has virtually garrisoned Tacloban City and placed it under military rule.

In Panay and Negros, the 3rd Infantry Division adamantly carries out offensive military operations in complete disregard for the recent devastation. As a result of the relentless offensive operations of the forces of the 3rd ID, two successive armed encounters erupted between a local NPA unit carrying out rehabilitation efforts and a platoon of the 47th IB on offensive operations in Barangay Magbalyo, Kabankalan City last 16 November, resulting in the wounding of an AFP soldier.

While maintaining a high degree of alertness against the offensive operations of the AFP, the NPA and the organized peasant masses must heighten efforts to wage revolutionary mass struggles to advance the democratic cause of the people in the face of the disaster and grave economic hardships.

The CPP leadership rejects the Malacañang proposal for a nationwide ceasefire of indefinite duration. The CPP ceasefire declaration is localized and has a definite period of effectivity with the aim of addressing the urgent need of extending emergency services to the people and carrying out rehabilitation efforts.

A ceasefire of longer duration and nationwide scope can be carried out only on the basis of fundamental socio-economic and political reforms. Otherwise, such a ceasefire will be of no benefit to the people and will only be taken advantage of by the most reactionary and fascist elements to push for the pacification and surrender of the people’s revolutionary forces.

If Malacañang is really serious in its proposal, then it should immediately end its unilateral suspension of peace negotiations and resume talks with the duly authorized panel of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and forge agreements on the basis, parameters and mechanics of such a ceasefire.

Ceasefire declaration to concentrate on rehabilitation work in Yolanda devastated areas

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