Tag: resitence

  • New York police arrest hundreds at Jewish protest urging Gaza ceasefire

    New York police arrest hundreds at Jewish protest urging Gaza ceasefire

    Hundreds of people were arrested Friday when police broke up a large demonstration of mostly Jewish New Yorkers who had taken over the main hall of Grand Central station in protest of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, police and organizers said.

    The New York Police Department said at least 200 people had been arrested, while protest organizers put the number at more than 300.

    Photos from the scene showed long lines of young people standing in handcuffs and wearing black sweatshirts with the words “Not In Our Name” and “Cease Fire Now” printed in white.

    The massive sit-in was called by the group Jewish Voice for Peace-New York City, which said thousands of its members had attended the protest, blocking the main concourse of the city’s central rail station.

    Pictures showed the terminal packed with protesters who held up banners reading “Palestinians should be free” and “Mourn the dead, fight like hell for the living.”

    Organizers called the peaceful sit-in “the largest civil disobedience New York City has seen in 20 years.”

    Rabbis launched the event by lighting Shabbat candles and reciting the Jewish prayer for the dead, known as the kaddish.

    “While Shabbat is typically a day of rest, we cannot afford to rest while genocide is unfolding in our names,” said Rabbi May Ye, in a statement released by organizers.

    “The lives of Palestinians and Israelis are intertwined, and safety can only come from justice, equality, and freedom for all,” the rabbi said.

    Israel launched its bombardment of Gaza after Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on 7 October, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping over 220 others, according to Israeli officials.

    The Hamas-run health ministry said Friday that Israeli strikes on Gaza had now killed 7,326 people, more than 3,000 of them children.

  • Ana Dammi Falastini: From Arab Idol to the national song of Palestine 

    Ana Dammi Falastini: From Arab Idol to the national song of Palestine 

    “Ana Dammi Falastini” , a song that won Muhammad Assaf the title of Arab world in 2015, has over the years became the national song of the land-a musical and patriotic piece they rejoice in, in the face of occupying forces. It is one of the key performances of his concerts.

    The lyrics can literally be translated as “My Blood is Palestinian”. It proclaims the pride of Palestinian and Arab heritage in its opening words:

    Keeping my oath, following my religion

    You will find me on my land

    I belong to my people, I sacrifice my soul for them

    My blood is Palestinian, Palestinian, Palestinian

    My blood is Palestinian

    The whole chorus of the song is an ode to the years of resistance and resilience of Palestinians in a celebratory, hip tone. Assaf himself was born in the Khan Younis refugee camp of Gaza and this song has been his magnum opus. This refrain got popular during Israel’s attack on Sheikh Jarrah in 2021 and since then has gained the status of an anthem among Palestinians. Nowadays, the song is popular on social media, especially TikTok, where people are using it as a background score in protesting against Israeli aggression.

    Earlier in the year, the song was removed from Spotify and Apple Music in an attempt seen as Israel’s way of sabotaging the worldwide popularity of the song even though the platform claimed that it was taken off by the distributor but there is no proof to that. The singer was unaware of the reason as well. Fans around the world slammed the Israeli government for getting triggered by a harmless song.

    The song, however, has now transcended boundaries in the most unconventional way. There is a plagiarised copy of the song doing rounds on social media made by Israel reeking of Zionism with Falastini replaced by “Yahoodi”.

    On one hand it is a testament to the popularity of the song but on the other a proof of sheer hatred that showcases the mindsets of a class of hegemons.

    One user remarks, “Did Israel colonised the song as well?”

    Assaf however has not given up and there are countless other songs of him paying homage to his homeland. Another of his popular song is “Falasteen Enty El Rouh” which means “Palestine, you are the soul.”

    The existence of these artists keep the resistance alive.