Anti-Israel Demonstrations in Manhattan

On Tuesday, hundreds of anti-Israel protesters gathered in Manhattan to mark two years since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Their chants included anti-Semitic slogans such as “From the River to the Sea,” accompanied by disturbing signs.

Wearing keffiyehs, the crowd waved Palestinian flags, asserting that “Resistance is the right thing to do; there is no Israel.” The placards held by many expressed sentiments like “Long live the intifada,” “Blood is being shed in Gaza during UN conference,” and “From New York to Palestine, starving people is a crime.”

One demonstrator carried a particularly offensive sign that stated, “Israel has a right to go to hell.”

Large banners proclaiming “Glory to the Martyrs” were present, as some in the crowd drummed and called for an intifada. A participant displayed what looked like a jihadist flag decorated with machine guns.

Voices could be heard demanding, “Israel dropped the bomb; America paid for it. How many children did they kill today?” Many in the crowd concealed their faces with surgical masks or keffiyehs, typical attire among anti-Israel activists.

The protesters gathered outside the News Corp building, which houses the Post, Fox News, and the Wall Street Journal. After nearly two hours of unrest, they marched down Sixth Avenue, carrying a giant Palestinian flag that spanned nearly the entire road.

Traffic was obstructed as they chanted, “1, 12, 3, 4, Israel loves war!” and “Liberation of Palestine.” Meanwhile, some Jewish counter-protesters on the sidewalk responded with cries of “Release the hostages!”

This demonstration was organized to commemorate the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas, a pivotal event that has contributed to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The phrase “From the River to the Sea,” referring to the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, has become a common slogan in anti-Israel protests and, at times, is viewed as anti-Semitic by the American Jewish Committee (AJC).

The AJC noted, “When this phrase is used with the intention of suggesting the destruction of Israel or the ethnic cleansing of Jews from their land, it is considered anti-Semitism.”

The protests coincided with President Trump’s announcement about sending special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Egypt for negotiations aimed at halting the conflict in Gaza.