Photos: Facebook
March 2, 2024 – In over 120 cities across the United States and dozens of others around the globe, mass demonstrations are taking place today in solidarity with Palestine as Israel threatens to carry out its worst massacre yet with an invasion of Rafah. Israel has threatened to begin its invasion on March 10, cruelly coinciding with the beginning of Ramadan. Worldwide protests are taking place with one week left to force Israel to back down from this new genocidal attack. More than 300 organizations are supporting this call to action.
Rafah is the southernmost of the five governorates of Gaza. It is roughly the size of Newark, New Jersey and before the war had a population of 300,000. The majority of Gaza’s population has been forced to flee there, with 1.5 million people now packed into the tiny area that Israel is threatening to annihilate by land, sea and air. Senior Israeli cabinet officials have openly voiced support for the mass expulsion of Palestinians into Egypt to make room for more Israeli settlements.
“The Palestinian people of Gaza have been faced with months of non-stop bombardment, mass killing, and forced starvation. Even as the occupation army targets various quarters of Rafah, even as it continues its relentless campaigns of annihilation in Shuja’iyya, Nuseirat, Khan Younis, and Jabalia, the colonial regime is additionally threatening to carry a full-scale ground invasion of Rafah. The world must rise up to stop this brutality,” said Jamil Madbak, of the Palestinian Youth Movement.
A growing number of influential artists have voiced their support for the March 2nd demonstrations. In a video released to promote the day of action, singer and actress Sara Ramírez of Grey’s Anatomy said, “Millions of people will be joining together to collectively reject any invasion of Rafah, and to call for an end of the genocide of Palestinian people. Do not underestimate the power of the people. Find a protest near you.”
“Biden has the power to stop this genocide right now. He is the one sending the bullets, bombs and missiles that Israel uses to massacre Palestinians. It’s his so-called diplomats who veto any effort by the United Nations to act. His fake concern for Palestinian civilians in Rafah means nothing unless he cuts off military aid immediately,” said Brian Becker, National Director of the ANSWER Coalition.
Manolo De Los Santos, Executive Director of The People’s Forum, stated that, “March 2nd will be a powerful display of the undeniable fact that the people of the world stand with Palestine. Joe Biden’s policy of genocide flies in the face of the sentiments of the majority of people of the United States, who support a ceasefire. Massive numbers of people in this country and around the globe are taking to the streets because we refuse to allow business as usual to continue while Israel massacres Palestinians by the tens of thousands.”
For more information about the Shut It Down For Palestine movement visit the website: shutitdown4palestine.org.
