A large portion of reporting and responses following the July 24 cease fire protests in Washington, D.C., have misrepresented the thousands of young people who showed up in support of innocent Palestinians in Gaza.

It is important to understand what the vast majority of these demonstrators were there to do. Organized by Jewish Voices for Peace, a youth nonprofit, thousands of demonstrators gathered to oppose the Israeli invasion and assault on Gaza, and to join the more than 250 international organizations which have called for a cease fire in a war deemed as a plausible genocide by the International Court of Justice.

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Congress the same afternoon, he openly condemned these protestors, saying they “should be ashamed of themselves.”

We must not forget what’s at stake in Gaza, as the Palestinian death toll approaches 40,000, and as bombing continues in the southern city of Rafah, which Israel initially assured Palestinians would be safe. As countless NGOs have reported the ongoing famine and disease that currently plagues hundreds of thousands of innocent Palestinians, we should question why – within our own borders – Jewish protesters are being arrested by Capitol police for opposing Israel’s actions in war, which includes routinely blocking humanitarian aid.

June Meuser
Portland