Pro-Palestinians Rally in U.S. as Conflict Rages

Pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated across the U.S. on Saturday, demanding an end to Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip as the worst violence in years erupted between the two states.

Solidarity rallies with the Palestinians took place in states including Boston, Washington, and Michigan.

Hundreds demonstrated in the Bay Ridge area of Brooklyn, New York, chanting "Freedom for Gaza", "Free Palestine" and "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free".

Protesters wore the Palestinian flag colors  and white keffiyeh scarves, while drivers horned cars and motorcyclists.

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A number of Jews attended and carried banners reading "Not in my name" and "Solidarity with Palestine", where the demonstrators took control of a street in the area inhabited by a large number of Arab residents.

Mashhour Ahmed, 73, a Palestinian who has lived in New York for 50 years, said, "Don't blame the victim for the aggression."

"I am asking Mr. Biden and his government to support the victims, stop the injustice."

[caption id="attachment_239640" align="aligncenter" width="1098"] People rally in of Palestinians in Brooklyn, New York, on May 15, 2021. Photo: AFP[/caption]

He added, "The recent violence committed by the Israeli army is genocide," and he raised a banner over his head that read "Liberate Palestine, stop the occupation."

On Saturday, President Joe Biden spoke separately with his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts, expressing his "grave concern" over the past six days over the violence that has left scores of dead and injured.

Biden expressed "Washington's strong commitment to the two-state solution as the best way to reach a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," the White House said.