On Oct. 5, nearly 1,000 people gathered at Pier 62 in Seattle to express solidarity with Palestinian and Lebanese people who are caught in the grips of a growing violent crisis in the Middle East. Attendees called for a cease-fire, for an end to the U.S. funding of weapons, and for Palestinian liberation.
A year ago, on Oct. 7, 2023, a Hamas-led attack on Israel resulted in 1,200 deaths and the seizure of more than 200 hostages, some still held in captivity. The following day, Israeli forces began a series of military actions that have lasted a year, resulting in the deaths of close to 42,000 Palestinians and the wounding of more than 97,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. In late September, Israel initiated offensives against Hezbollah in Lebanon, killing a senior leader along with at least 1,400 Lebanese people and displacing more than a million, according to PBS News.
The Seattle rally featured speeches from activists, including Ahmad Hamdan of the Palestinian Youth Movement, who passionately described the organization’s mission: “The Palestinian Youth Movement is an international organization that focuses on pursuing the liberation of Palestinian people and fighting for Palestinian rights and Palestinian civil rights across the world.”
Hamdan’s remarks underscored corporations’ role in perpetuating the violence. He claimed that Maersk, a Denmark-based shipping and logistics company, is “one of the very complicit companies that is currently trying to be held accountable by the Palestinian Youth Movement.” He stated the company was responsible for many of the shipments delivering weapons and arms to Israel, including shipments from Seattle, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area, “where aircraft and weapons are manufactured and then sent to Israel to be used on civilians.” He added, “People are tired of their tax dollars funding the genocide against Palestinians when we have people suffering here in America, too.”
An unidentified Palestinian youth speaker tapped into a sense of pain experienced by many attendees, referring to the rally as a day of action. “It’s been 12 months of genocide, but it’s also been 12 months of resistance,” the youth said.
Among the attendees, 21-year-old Saif Sharabati, a Palestinian currently residing in Seattle, conveyed the urgency of the situation. “What can the U.S. do? Stop funding the genocide. Very simple, very easy. Stop funding these bombs that kill kids,” he said. Sharabati reflected on the broader implications of the violence. “It’s not just Gaza; it’s also the West Bank. Now it’s getting into Lebanon and Yemen … all the bombings everywhere.”
Historical injustices were invoked during the rally. A representative from Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, an international network of organizers and activists working to build solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in their struggle for freedom, referenced the Trail of Tears, chattel slavery, Jim Crow, and apartheid in South Africa. He told attendees that the struggle for Palestinian rights is part of a larger fight against oppression and colonialism.
Activists emphasized the need for compassion, awareness, and action to bring about justice for those suffering. With each gathering and rally, they hope to shine a light on the devastating impact of the conflict and to remind the world that cries for peace and justice must not go unheard.