Al-Aqsa Flood anniversary: Year of historic resistance and solidarity

The Palestinian Factions (National and Islamic Forces) explained in an Oct. 5 statement that: “The blessed Battle of Al-Aqsa Flood on the glorious 7th of October brought about a strategic shift in the struggle with the zionist occupation and revealed its true nature to the entire world. It came as a natural response to the crimes of the criminal occupation against our Palestinian people and to confront the projects and plans of the zionist occupation and its supporters. Resistance continues as a legitimate right to achieve freedom and establish a free Palestinian state with Al-Quds [Jerusalem] as its capital.” (Resistance News Network, Oct. 5)

Actions across the U.S. and around the world demonstrated solidarity with Palestine and Lebanon on Monday, Oct. 7 and during the weekend preceding it.

Some 5,000 protesters turned out Oct. 6 on Boston Common in a massive show of support for Palestinian and Lebanese resistance to the genocidal Zionist state and its U.S. sponsor. The action was organized by the Boston Coalition for Palestine — whose 45 member organizations include Palestinian House of New England, Palestinian Youth Movement, Jewish Voice for Peace and Workers World Party.

At the fancy Hilton Park Plaza Hotel, the march stopped to show solidarity with the hotel workers of UNITE HERE Local 26, striking to demand higher wages and expanded benefits that management has long denied them. 

In New York City mass marches drew tens of thousands of people on Oct. 5, organized by Peoples Forum, and on Oct. 7, organized by Within Our Lifetime.  The latter event, referred to as “Flood New York City for Palestine,” brought a huge mass of activists who first converged at Wall Street and then rallied and marched to various sites such as City Hall, Washington Square Park, Union Square and Grand Central and Amtrak stations. There were also several student walkouts on Oct. 7, including at Columbia University, where the first of hundreds of countrywide Gaza solidarity encampments were organized earlier this year.  

Protests marking the one-year anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Flood took place in Philadelphia on Oct. 5 and Oct. 7. A vigil was held at Love Park on Oct. 5 organized by Families for Ceasefire Philly. Long, typed lists with thousands of names of those killed by the Israeli genocide were laid out on the ground. 

On Oct. 7, newly formed Philadelphia Students for Justice in Palestine brought together hundreds of students and supporters from area colleges including Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, Swarthmore, Haverford, Bryn Mawr and Drexel. Students who had experienced disciplinary actions for participating in encampments for Palestine in the spring were among the speakers. One noted that the large turnout showed that they’re not scared.

After an opening rally that introduced the new formation, participants marched through the UPenn campus, past the UPenn health care complex and finally across the Grays Ferry bridge to the headquarters of Ghost Robotics, a creation of UPenn’s research labs. 

Ghost Robotics produces robotic dogs, often armed with weapons and used by Israel in Gaza and by the U.S. at the Mexican border. Police, who maintained a militarized presence in helicopters and vans and on bicycles, arrested six participants.

Hundreds of Pennsylvania residents from Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and towns in between protested on Oct. 6 in Harrisburg against the state’s support for genocide in Palestine, condemning the Pennsylvania Treasury Department’s investment of $56 million in Israel Bonds this year alone. 

Starting at the Governor’s Mansion, participants marched to the State Capitol Building, along the way planting thousands of small Palestinian flags, many of them bearing the names of children who had been killed over the past year. Speakers, signs and banners called for an embargo on arms to Israel and an end to the state law outlawing contractors from supporting the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement.

The “Little Arabia” neighborhood on Cleveland’s West Side was a sea of red, black, green and white flags on Oct. 5, as nearly 1,000 people marched and chanted for Palestine. Speakers pointed out that October 7 not only marks one year of genocide but one year of resistance.

On Oct. 5 in Denver the Palestine Coalition, along with Jewish Voice for Peace , Freedom Road Socialist Party, Denver Peace Action and over 700 supporters, gathered and marched through the Cherry Creek Shopping area. The march marked one year of Palestinian and Lebanese resistance, supported by people in the U.S. who are demanding the U.S. government — without which none of these wars could continue — stop sending money and arms to facilitate Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people.

A Tashlich March, organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, took place earlier on Sept. 29. This is a traditional Jewish observance during the New Year to symbolically cast off one’s sins. Hundreds of people, wearing white, cast pinecones into the river and spoke about casting out hatred, racism, Zionism and any weakness that might hold people back from supporting the Palestinians.

On Oct. 5 the Houston City Hall plaza was filled with chanting activists. Speakers reflecting the anger of this city’s large Arab and Muslim population. Hundreds of young people from the Palestinian Youth Movement in Houston were joined by hundreds more supporters of Palestine to denounce the year-long escalating war on Palestine and now Lebanon.

From toddlers to elderly people with walkers, marchers gathered in 90 degree heat for over three hours to display their anger. Huge Palestinian and Lebanese flags flew high — as did emotions. As the crowd swelled to well over 1,000, the PYM led the march into the streets, taking them over. Despite a huge police presence, participants continued chanting and educating those shopping downtown.

Over 1,000 people marched in Seattle on Oct. 5 to protest the U.S.-Israeli war on Gaza, the West Bank and now Lebanon. The demonstration marched from the waterfront to the Space Needle, showing strength in taking over vital attractions.

Microsoft workers carried a banner reading “No Azure for apartheid.” Azure, developed by Microsoft, is a cloud computing platform used by the Israel Occupation Forces. The workers handed out a leaflet saying, “We, as Microsoft workers, refuse to remain silent while Microsoft is complicit in Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people.”  

Demands raised to Microsoft were: “1. IOF off Azure; 2. Disclose all ties; 3. Call for permanent ceasefire; 4. Protect Palestinian, Arab, Muslim and allied employees.” (@noazureforapartheid)

Huge marches all over the world, especially in West Asia, honored the anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Flood. The world is on the side of Palestine! 

Will Hodgkinson, Jim McMahan, Monica Moorehead, Joe Piette, Gloria Rubac, Vivian Weinstein and Workers World Philadelphia bureau contributed to this article.