Pro-Palestinian Protest Outside First Day of StandWithUs Conference

A group of around 30-40 pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside StandWithUs’ Israel in Focus International Conference on Friday, March 1.

The group stood outside the Los Angeles Airport Hilton from around 8 to11:30 a.m., holding signs with anti-Israel slogans: “StandWithUs Stands With Genocide,” “End the Siege on Gaza Now,” and “Defunding Israel Lies.” They also chanted slogans like “Zionists go back home, Palestine is ours alone.”

The night before, the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) posted to Instagram a call to “shut down the StandWithUs international conference in Los Angeles.”

At the beginning of the conference, StandWithUs Israel Executive Director Michael Dickson said, “Right now a hate group that celebrated the genocidal atrocities of Oct. 7 is outside protesting this conference.” Behind him was an image of an Instagram post from PYM that stated, “Long live Palestinian resistance” next to a picture of Israel followed by a promotion of a Oct. 9 rally.

“We will not be intimidated … no amount of hate will stop us. The people of Israel live. Am Yisrael Chai.” – Michael Dickson

“What these extremists don’t realize is that they’ve inspired generous supporters of StandWithUs to step up for all of us,” Dickson continued. “Starting now, for every minute this hate group spends, generous donors have committed that StandWithUs will receive at least 1,000 more dollars to the support the work that all of us are doing around the world.” He declared “we will not be intimidated” and “no amount of hate will stop us. The people of Israel live. Am Yisrael Chai.”

Right now, extremists are protesting outside the StandWithUs International Conference. We must respond with strength! Help us raise over $1,000 for every minute they spend promoting hate outside our conference venue:https://t.co/Llu62Nn7n3 pic.twitter.com/APs4lmHC5e

— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) March 1, 2024

Rabbi Yossi Eilfort, founder of the nonprofit security organization Magen Am, told conference attendees that it’s better for the attendees to not give the protesters the engagement they seek and instead connect “with other students and [learn] more about what we’re doing … We really can’t be touched if we’re focused on what we’re doing, and that’s really part of community,” Eilfort said.

He pointed out that “when protesters march against us, against Israel, they come to the heart of Jewish communities and that’s where they do their marches. By contrast, our marches are in the heart of Jewish communities “because we love what’s behind us” whereas “our enemies” march out of hate, said Eilfort. “Let’s fight smart and let’s make sure we win.”