St. Paul rallies to commemorate the Deir Yassin massacre, calls for an end to the siege on Gaza

St. Paul, MN – On April 12, at the weekly Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) protest for Palestine, 100 people the people of Gaza who have endured over 189 days of relentless, U.S.-funded and backed Israeli attacks.

Over 33,686 people have been slaughtered, mostly women and children, and those still alive face a deadly shortage of food, safe water, medicine and stand on the abyss of famine due to Israel’s total blockade, siege and bombing.

Ten speakers from multiple community organizations such as MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), MN Workers United, Black Lives Matter – MN (BLM-MN), and many others spoke to the engaged crowd and shared in their outrage.

Barry Reich of Veterans for Peace Chapter 27 informed the crowd of his participation in the Freedom Flotilla Coalition in the coming weeks to journey to Gaza, along with Coleen Rowley of WAMM. The coalition aims to deliver up to 5500 tons of vital aid to Gaza and end Israel’s unlawful blockade and control over Gaza’s land and sovereignty. Reich stated, “We’re not compliant with Israel’s siege.”

Monique Cullars Doty of Black Lives Matter-MN emphasized, “As we fight for Black liberation, we stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people for their liberation as well and for the liberation of all oppressed people.” She announced that to express this solidarity, BLM-MN will demand a “Free Palestine” during their Juneteenth march for Black reparations on June 19.

Sarah Martin, a long-time member of WAMM, addressed the Deir Yassin massacre and its significance in the Palestinian fight for liberation. Martin stated, “April 9, 1948, just weeks before Israel became a state, the village of Deir Yassin, a small village on a hill just outside Jerusalem, was brutally attacked by Zionist forces. 150 to 200 Palestinians were slaughtered in the most barbaric ways.” This was one of countless massacres that led to the illegal occupation of Palestine by Israeli forces that year. The effects of this day on Palestine today are never-ending.

Martin concluded her speech by saying, “It’s natural and legal for people to resist occupation and oppression, but a huge price is paid. The Algerians who in their struggle for liberation from France lost a million lives, and the Vietnamese who lost 3 million people in their fight to free themselves from the U.S. empire. We know this would all end in a day if Biden cut off weapons and diplomatic support for Israel.”

Participants chanted “Victory to the resistance!” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”

WAMM holds a rally every Friday from 4 to 5 p.m. in Saint Paul on the intersection of Summit and Snelling Avenues.

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