Hundreds of protesters gathered near the Capitol in Washington to mark the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, or the exodus of Palestinians in 1948, and to protest against the ongoing war in Gaza. Despite the rain, about 400 demonstrators chanted pro-Palestinian slogans and called for an end to Israeli military operations in Gaza. The protesters also criticized President Joe Biden for his response to the conflict, accusing him of ignoring the high death toll in Gaza.
The commemoration of the Nakba this year was fueled by anger over the ongoing siege of Gaza and the recent Israel-Hamas war. Palestinian militants had stormed into southern Israel in October, resulting in casualties on both sides. The protesters expressed their frustration over the violent crackdown on pro-Palestinian protest camps at universities across the country. In recent weeks, police have broken up long-term encampments at over 60 schools, leading to widespread outrage among activists.
In addition to calling for an end to hostilities in Gaza, the protesters urged Israel and the Biden administration to address the issue of Palestinian refugees’ right to return. After the Arab-Israeli war in 1948, Palestinian refugees were denied the right to return to their homes, leading to the establishment of a refugee community that now numbers around 6 million. Most of these refugees live in poor conditions in urban camps in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The issue of Palestinian refugees’ right to return has been a contentious point in negotiations between Israel and Palestinian authorities for decades.
The protesters also focused on the historical injustice faced by Palestinians who were forced to flee their homes in 1948 when the state of Israel was created. The Nakba, or catastrophe, refers to the painful exodus of some 700,000 Palestinians from their land. The demonstration in Washington echoed calls for justice and recognition of Palestinian rights, with slogans like “No peace on stolen land” and “End the killings, stop the crime/Israel out of Palestine” reverberating through the crowd. Despite the weather, demonstrators voiced their support for the Palestinian cause and spoke out against the ongoing violence in Gaza.
Reem Lababdi, a George Washington University sophomore who had been pepper-sprayed by police at a recent protest on campus, commended those who braved the rain to attend the rally. She highlighted the importance of speaking out and sending a message in support of the Palestinian people. The protest in Washington was part of a larger wave of demonstrations across the country, with activists calling for an end to the violence and advocating for the rights of Palestinian refugees. The ongoing conflict in Gaza has intensified global attention on the plight of Palestinians and the need for a resolution to the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
