14 May, Philadelphia: Palestinian Great March of Return – Solidarity Rally

Monday, 14 May
5:00 pm
Thomas Paine Plaza
1401 JFK Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/247472192494028/

Join us at Thomas Paine Plaza in downtown Philadelphia to rally and march in solidarity with the series of protests by Palestinians called the Great March of Return, and to oppose the Trump administration’s decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.

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May 15th marks the 70th anniversary of al-Nakba, “the disaster,” the day that 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly expelled from their homeland to make way for the state of Israel. Today, many of those refugees and their descendants live in Gaza, a tiny strip of land with the highest population density in the world. Gaza is essentially an open-air prison and has been besieged by Israel for over a decade; there, basic necessities of life are restricted and denied by Israel.

On March 30th, a six-week series of protests called the Great March of Return began in Palestine. The Palestinian protesters are demanding that they be allowed to return to their land.

In response to these protests, Israeli occupation forces murdered 17 Palestinians and injured more than 1,200 using live ammunition, rubber-coated steel bullets, and huge quantities of tear gas. Since that day over 30 peaceful protesters have been killed and over 2,000 injured by Israeli forces. The Israeli army, claiming as always to have acted in “self-defense,” reported no casualties. The Trump Administration has given a green light to this slaughter and continues to fund Israel with over $3 billion each year.

To make matters worse, the Trump administration has outrageously chosen the day before Nakba Day as the occasion to open the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine, but the U.S. government is giving its complete support to Israeli efforts to colonize the city.

We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and their struggle for liberation. We believe that international solidarity is key in the global fight for human rights.

For these reasons, we call for a mass demonstration to mark Nakba Day and oppose the Trump Administration’s decision to move the U.S. embassy; to stand up for justice; and to demand that the Palestinian people be allowed to return to their homeland.

Join us at Thomas Paine Plaza on Monday, May 14th at 5pm for a mass rally and march. Together we will call on the city of Philadelphia to unite in support of self-determination for Palestinians in Philadelphia and in Palestine.

Endorsers:
Jewish Voice for Peace – Philadelphia
Workers World Party – Philadelphia
Bucks County Socialists