Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators Demand Israel Arms Embargo Outside US Capitol
(MENAFN) Hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the US Capitol on Saturday, calling for an end to Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip and demanding that Washington impose an arms embargo and sanctions on Israel.
The protesters waved Palestinian flags and displayed large banners condemning the genocide in Gaza and Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories. Some participants also highlighted the domestic economic consequences of US military spending, drawing connections between overseas wars, rising living costs and low wages.
The Palestinian Youth Movement and other pro-Palestinian organizations organized the rally and march to mark three years since Israel launched its military offensive in Gaza in October 2023. The event sought to renew public pressure on US officials over Washington’s military and diplomatic support for Israel.
Organizers called for an “absolute arms embargo and sanctions” on Israel, urging elected representatives to take action against continued military assistance.
Nouhad Akkar, a member of the Palestinian Youth Movement, said demonstrators intended to hold US officials accountable for decisions involving military aid to Israel.
“We will not let this genocide be normalized,” she said. “We are sending a message to our people in Gaza, to our people in the region, that we will continue to fight for them, not just for an end to the genocide, but until total liberation and return.”
Akkar also called on public institutions to withdraw investments from weapons manufacturers that supply Israel. She highlighted a campaign targeting Virginia’s state retirement system, which she said holds more than $394 million in pension investments in companies involved in supplying weapons to Israel.
The campaign is seeking to persuade the retirement system to divest from those companies, with organizers arguing that public funds should not support businesses connected to the military campaign.
“We would like to see elected officials take a stand against the investment of this money,” she said.
The demonstration reflected broader efforts by pro-Palestinian groups in the United States to influence government policy through public rallies, demands for restrictions on military assistance and campaigns targeting institutional investments.
By gathering near the Capitol, demonstrators sought to direct their demands toward federal lawmakers and emphasize their opposition to US support for Israel. Organizers said their campaign would continue beyond the rally, focusing on accountability, changes to government policy and divestment from companies supplying military equipment.
The protesters waved Palestinian flags and displayed large banners condemning the genocide in Gaza and Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories. Some participants also highlighted the domestic economic consequences of US military spending, drawing connections between overseas wars, rising living costs and low wages.
The Palestinian Youth Movement and other pro-Palestinian organizations organized the rally and march to mark three years since Israel launched its military offensive in Gaza in October 2023. The event sought to renew public pressure on US officials over Washington’s military and diplomatic support for Israel.
Organizers called for an “absolute arms embargo and sanctions” on Israel, urging elected representatives to take action against continued military assistance.
Nouhad Akkar, a member of the Palestinian Youth Movement, said demonstrators intended to hold US officials accountable for decisions involving military aid to Israel.
“We will not let this genocide be normalized,” she said. “We are sending a message to our people in Gaza, to our people in the region, that we will continue to fight for them, not just for an end to the genocide, but until total liberation and return.”
Akkar also called on public institutions to withdraw investments from weapons manufacturers that supply Israel. She highlighted a campaign targeting Virginia’s state retirement system, which she said holds more than $394 million in pension investments in companies involved in supplying weapons to Israel.
The campaign is seeking to persuade the retirement system to divest from those companies, with organizers arguing that public funds should not support businesses connected to the military campaign.
“We would like to see elected officials take a stand against the investment of this money,” she said.
The demonstration reflected broader efforts by pro-Palestinian groups in the United States to influence government policy through public rallies, demands for restrictions on military assistance and campaigns targeting institutional investments.
By gathering near the Capitol, demonstrators sought to direct their demands toward federal lawmakers and emphasize their opposition to US support for Israel. Organizers said their campaign would continue beyond the rally, focusing on accountability, changes to government policy and divestment from companies supplying military equipment.
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