Pro-Palestinian Protesters To “Surround The White House” Next Weekend Over Rafah Strike

In the wake of a deadly Israeli strike at a tent camp in Rafah last week which produced horrific viral footage of charred corpses, days after the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to immediately halt military operations, and miles beyond Biden’s ‘red line‘ (using US bombs, no less), pro-Palestine, anti-war activists are taking to the White House one week from today.

Photo: Craig Birchfield

ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism), an anti-war group founded three days after the September 11, 2001 attacks, has launched an event to “Get on a bus to DC” and “Surround the White House for Palestine.”

“June 8 marks 8 months of US-Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people, and marks the 54th anniversary of the occupation of Gaza. A month ago, Biden said that the invasion of Rafah was a red line. But now, the invasion of Rafah has continued for weeks, has expanded to the entire Gaza Strip, Biden’s red line is nowhere to be seen,” ANSWER wrote on its website. 

The group continued, “Biden can’t draw the line, but we can. On June 8, we will come together from across the country and surround the White House.” 

“On June 8th, tens of thousands will show Biden that the people are his red line — we refuse to allow him to continue the genocide against the people of Gaza! Instead of a red line, Biden gave a green light to Netanyahu’s invasion of Rafah by agreeing to send more U.S. bombs and missiles. While the government that speaks in our name arms the genocidal Israeli regime to the teeth, the people want freedom for Palestine,” said Brian Becker, National Director of ANSWER.

Meanwhile, progressive outlet People’s Dispatch notes that a diverse range of ‘anti-imperialist groups’ are supporting the mass demonstration.

These include the Palestinian Youth Movement, National Students for Justice in Palestine, U.S. Palestinian Community Network, the People’s Forum, Al-Awda: The Palestine Right to Return Coalition, Palestinian Feminist Collective, the ANSWER Coalition, U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, Arab Resource and Organizing Center, International Jewish Anti Zionist Network, Writers Against the War on Gaza, Healthcare Workers for Palestine, and Palestine Popular University.

“How many more homes have to be destroyed, how many children need to be killed, until this government takes definitive action to stop Israel’s war crimes. We are tired of hearing that Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken are ‘concerned about the civilian death toll’. If they were really concerned about what Israel was doing, they would suspend all aid and tell Israel to accept one of the many ceasefire deals that is on the table. This genocide needs to end, and Biden has the power to do it,” said Celine Quissiny of the Palestinian Youth Movement.

The event was teased during closing statements from the People’s Conference for Palestine, where Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) slammed Biden as an “enabler,” threatening that “we aren’t going to forget in November, are we?“

Earlier today, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib was a “surprise guest” at the People’s Conference for Palestine in Detroit, Michigan.

“You are an enabler President Biden.”

“But we aren’t going to forget in November are we?” pic.twitter.com/OwZmDCYwKs

— Stu (@thestustustudio) May 26, 2024

The issue continues to stoke the political divide in America – with mainstream Republicans and Democrats drooling over the thought of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu giving a speech at the US Capitol (at the invitation of Speaker Mike Johnson, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries), while progressive Democrats and anti-interventionist libertarians overlap on this horseshoe issue.

And here’s why…