Palestinian refugees in Beirut denounce new Nakba in Gaza
As in previous years, Palestinian refugees in Beirut held a rally to commemorate the anniversary of the Nakba, or the “disaster”, which saw the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in 1948.
They emphasised the importance of preserving identity and resisting occupation as Israel’s war on Gaza lays siege to the Palestinian enclave.
Pro-Palestine students mark Nakba at University of Michigan
There is a Nakba rally here at the University of Michigan. We are at an encampment and they have been asked to disperse, but they have not done so.
There are hundreds of people here and they are talking about the demands that they have literally taped on the doors of the homes of each of the university’s eight regents. The regents are the people in the university who can make decisions about changing policy towards Israel.
The rally continues with hundreds of students who insist they are going to continue to remain here and keep making those demands, and their demands have actually increased today.
Dozens of tents form part of a pro-Palestine protest at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, on May 2
California university heeds student call to boycott Israeli institutions
Heeding calls from pro-Palestine students pushing for a boycott of Israeli companies and institutions over the war in Gaza, Sonoma State University has said that it will no longer enter partnerships with Israeli universities.
Sonoma State’s president, Mike Lee, said the school had reached an agreement with the protesters and would do more to disclose its contracts and seek “divestment strategies” from Israeli institutions.
In exchange, the students agreed to dismantle their cluster of tents on campus by Wednesday evening.
Arrests as US police storm pro-Palestine protest at University of California, Irvine
Police have made arrests after descending on pro-Palestine student protesters, who, for several hours, occupied a building at the University of California, Irvine, the Reuters news agency reports.
Officers from about 10 nearby law-enforcement agencies converged on the campus after university officials requested help, said Sergeant Karie Davies, spokesperson for the Irvine Police Department.
Police said they would not release the number of arrests until the operation was over.
French MP tells protesters: ‘Don’t be afraid of those who want to silence you’
French MP Thomas Portes has criticised the French government’s bias in favour of the Israeli occupation.
Speaking at a demonstration in Paris, Thomas Portes said politicians and the media did not recognise the word genocide and forbid it in all forums, but that the crimes committed in Gaza constituted genocide.
The MP denounced France’s participation in those crimes and the authorities’ treatment of students and pro-Palestine demonstrators.
“Don’t be afraid of those who want to prevent you and silence you and do not stop supporting the Palestinian people … we must stop this government’s support for genocide,” he said.
Comme le disait Robespierre « Quand le gouvernement viole les droits du peuple, l’insurrection est pour le peuple, et pour chaque portion du peuple, le plus sacré des droits et le plus indispensable des devoir ».
Nous ne cesserons jamais de défendre le peuple Palestinien ! pic.twitter.com/rAOnKflf9L
— Thomas Portes (@Portes_Thomas) May 15, 2024
