NEW YORK — Anti-Israel activists protested against the United Nations in New York City on Tuesday, after a series of countries granted Palestine statehood recognition during the UN’s annual General Assembly.
The crowd gathered in midtown Manhattan, across from UN Headquarters, waving Palestinian flags, beating on drums and chanting, “There is only one solution, intifada revolution.”
“It is right to rebel, Israel go to hell,” the crowd chanted.
Signs in the crowd said, “Fuck Israel,” “Free the earth! Free Palestine!” and “Palestinian liberation and return, by any means necessary.”
Several protesters flaunted symbols of US-designated terrorist groups. A man wore a Hamas headband, another wore a Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine headband, a woman waved a flag showing Hamas spokesperson Abu Obedia, and a man brandished a flag showing the Hezbollah logo.
Anti-Israel protests in the city typically draw pro-Israel counter-protesters, but the pro-Israel crowd did not show up on Tuesday due to Rosh Hashanah.
A group shouted at the lone pro-Israel attendee.
“There are zero civilian hostages. The people know the truth,” a man shouted at him.
There are civilian hostages still in Gaza, such as Alon Ohel, seen in a propaganda video released by Hamas on Monday. Ohel was captured at the Supernova party on October 7, 2023.
The protest was led by Within Our Lifetime, a hardline activist group that advocates for the violent destruction of Israel.
“The UN was built to delay and contain our struggles for liberation, and its complicity in Gaza’s genocide with over 600,000 Palestinians killed is undeniable,” Within Our Lifetime said in a statement. “No more cover-ups, no more excuses, inflating the death toll. We will confront war criminals in New York with the blood on their hands.”
“The first thing the United Nations ever did was partition Palestine and colonize our land by massacring our people,” group leader Nerdeen Kiswani told the crowd. “This is the history of the United Nations and this is why we have been protesting it.”
“They think they can fool us by states recognizing Palestine but we know this is not liberation, it is meant to neutralize our struggle,” she said.
The rally was advertised as “Flood the UN General Assembly.” Protesters in New York often refer to their rallies as “floods,” echoing the Hamas term for the October 2023 invasion of Israel, “The Al Aqsa Flood.”
The protest was backed by more than 40 groups, including CAIR New York, National Students for Justice in Palestine, CodePink, and an array of student groups.
Countries including France, the UK, Australia and Canada recognized Palestinian statehood this week.
Opening the UN General Assembly earlier Tuesday, UN Secretary General António Guterres denounced Israel for its policies in Gaza.
“In Gaza, the horrors are approaching a third monstrous year,” he said. “They are the result of decisions that defy basic humanity.”
Anti-Israel activists have also announced another mass protest on Friday to coincide with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the General Assembly.