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Pro-Palestinian Protesters Chant “Long Live the Intifada,” “We Want All ‘48‘” in Front of LA Israeli Consulate

The protest was billed as a rally to “Defend Al-Aqsa” and “Defend Gaza.”
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April 21, 2022
Screenshot from Twitter

A group of pro-Palestinian protesters chanted anti-Israel slogans like “Long live the Intifada” and “We want all ‘48” in front the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles on April 21.

The protest was billed as a rally to “Defend Al-Aqsa” and “Defend Gaza.” There has been ongoing clashes between Israeli authorities and Palestinian rioters at the Al-Aqsa; the Israel Defense Force also struck various Hamas locations in retaliation for rocket fire launched from the Gaza Strip toward Sderot on the evening of April 20. Israel holds Hamas responsible for any rocket attacks from Gaza.

In addition to chants of “Long live the intifada” and “We don’t want no two states, we want all ’48,” the protesters also chanted “Free the people, free the land, justice is our demand, no peace on stolen land.”

Jewish groups condemned the chants.

“ADL [Anti-Defamation League] is committed to the right to free speech and the right for citizens to criticize ruling government bodies,” ADL Los Angeles Regional Director Jeffrey I. Abrams said in a statement to the Journal. “This applies even when we don’t agree with the criticism of Israeli policy. However, all too often criticism or condemnation of Israel allows antisemitism to seep into the mainstream, including traditional antisemitic imagery or stereotypes, blaming all Jews for the actions of Israel, or denying or questioning Israel’s right to exist – and this we cannot and will not accept.”

American Jewish Committee Los Angeles Regional Director Richard S. Hirschhaut similarly said in a statement to the Journal, “The bedrock American principle of freedom of speech assures even the most incendiary voices a platform. As it should. But how unfortunate and sad that those gathered outside the Israeli Consulate today chose to use that opportunity to call for the destruction of the Jewish state. If there is to be an ultimate resolution of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, such venomous appeals must give way to genuine partners who envision a day when Israelis and Palestinians may live in peace. The vitriol spewed by the ragtag collection of activists today may give them a sense of satisfaction, but it does nothing to advance the interests of those they profess to care about or the cause of peace.”

StandWithUS CEO and Co-Founder Roz Rothstein also said in a statement to the Journal, “Chants like ‘Long Live the Intifada’ and ‘From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free,’ are deadly slogans that encourage violence and murder. They are not calls for peaceful coexistence and never have been, and are certainly not supportive to the Palestinian people.  Instead of calling for more bloodshed, we hope that one day soon Palestinian leaders will accept Israel and call for peace with their neighbor, because Israel is not going anywhere. Imagine what real peace would mean for the region.”

A similar protest took place in front of the Israeli consulate in New York, with chants of “From the river to the sea Palestine will be free” and calls to “globalize the Intifada.” Advertisements for the event called for “resistance by any means necessary,” according to Jewish News Syndicate (JNS).

“We witnessed in the past weeks how these kinds of statements incited violence in the Middle East,” Itay Milner, the consulate’s spokesperson, told JNS. “Now, some people want to bring the same violence here to New York City.”

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