Defend Al-Aqsa, Defend Jerusalem, Defend Palestine! Protests and actions around the world

On 4 and 5 April, the scenes of Israeli occupation forces invading Al-Aqsa Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan and brutally attacking Palestinian worshipers were displayed around the world on video. The beatings, the mass arrests, the vicious assault on Palestinians gathering in the mosque or in prayer once again exposed the reality of the Zionist colonial project in Palestine — that of the most vicious colonial assault that aims to strip the land, identity and holy sites away from the Palestinian and Arab people in order to make way for an invasion by a few fanatical settlers a few hours later. 

In the attack on Al-Aqsa, hundreds of Palestinians were forced to the ground, tied and subjected to mass arrest. Once again, arrest, imprisonment, detention and interrogation were clearly colonial tools used in an attempt to suppress the Palestinian people and their resistance. In fact, many of these had been beaten or injured during the assault on the mosque amid the holy month, when tens of thousands gather every night to worship together. 

The open brutality of the assault and its clear direction for the interests of the most fanatical sector of the Zionist regime — that represented by Itamar Ben Gvir, Bezalel Smotrich and their constituents in the “hilltop youth” — sparked outrage around the world. First, and most profoundly, the outrage by Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims, part of over 75 years of struggle against Zionist colonialism, occupation and apartheid, with this new assault keenly recognized as an attempt to confiscate holy sites and attack even the celebration of Ramadan by the occupier, and by progressive forces around the world standing with the Palestinian people. However, even many of the very imperialist states and officials that routinely defend Israeli colonialism and continue to sell it weapons, provide it with aid, and give it a privileged status in trade, were compelled to issue statements of condemnation: The reality was all too clear, and the outrage too great. 

The attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque are an attack on the Palestinian, Arab and Muslim identity of the holy site as well as an attack on the identity of Jerusalem. Palestinians in Jerusalem are subjected to ongoing campaigns of ethnic cleansing, forced displacement, mass arrests and attempts to strip them of their residency in their own home city. Jerusalem has been illegally “annexed” by the settler colonial project, the same future it envisions for the entire West Bank of occupied Palestine.

During this time, the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance have made clear, verbally and in action, their commitment to the defense of Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem — and all of Palestine, from the river to the sea. The strength of the Palestinian people and their resistance in all of its forms, inside and outside Palestine, is on full display as many tens of thousands more came to Al-Aqsa Mosque to continue their worship, as the people of Gaza stand with pride with their resistance despite the terror bombings of the occupation military, and as the occupation openly expresses its fear of confrontation with the Lebanese resistance led by Hezbollah that has defeated it multiple times in the past. The prisoners’ movement just won a significant victory over a divided Zionist camp, while Khader Adnan continues his hunger strike for over 2 months behind bars.

It is critical for people around the world to come together to defend Al-Aqsa, to defend Jerusalem, and to defend Palestine from the river to the sea from the colonialist onslaught. The imperialist powers, despite some words of condemnation, continue to practice a policy of strategic alliance with the Zionist regime. They continue to sell weapons to the occupation and buy its weapons, “battle-tested” on Palestinians, Lebanese and Syrians. The occupation weapons factories continue to produce their machines of death, while corporations profit from their ties with the occupation. Now is the time to make clear that this is unacceptable and that the people of the world stand with Palestine and the Palestinian people, to bring this injustice of over 75 years to an end — toward the liberation of Palestine, from the river to the sea. 

We urge you to join the events and actions below in your city to defend Al-Aqsa, defend Jerusalem and defend Palestine. If your event is not listed here, please email us at samidoun@samidoun.net or DM us on Instagram or Twitter and we will add it. Please note, these events are organized by many different groups and wherever possible, we have linked to the post of at least one of the original organizers so that you can contact them with any questions or for any changes: 

Friday, 7 April 

Saturday, 8 April 

Sunday, 9 April

Wednesday, 12 April

Friday, 14 April

Saturday, 15 April

Sunday, 16 April

Monday, 17 April

Tuesday, 18 April

Wednesday, 19 April

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