Several hundred progressive American Jewish activists staged a peaceful sit-in yesterday Monday at Statue of Liberty at New York to demand that Israel declare a ceasefire and end the “genocidal bombardment of Palestinian civilians in Gaza”.

Wearing black T-shirts emblazoned with slogans such as “Jews demand a cease-fire now” or “not in our name”, several hundred held banners with slogans such as “the whole world is watching” or “Palestinians must be free” at the iconic statue , a world-famous symbol of New York.

“The famous words of our Jewish ancestor (s.a. the 19th century American poet) Emma Lazarus inscribed on this monument compel us to act in support of the Palestinians in Gaza who yearn to breathe free,” he said in a statement. his announcement by Jay Shaper, of the organization Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP).

In a statement, the Institute for Middle Understanding (IMEU) called for “an end to Israel’s genocidal bombardment of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.”

“As long as the people of Gaza scream, we must scream louder, no matter how hard they try to silence us,” noted American photographer Nancy Goldin alongside local New York elected officials, some of whom have roots on the left.

The American metropolis, well-known for welcoming immigrants and for its multicultural character, has lived in recent weeks to the rhythm of pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

A city home to two million Jews and hundreds of thousands of Muslims, New York has so far experienced no violent incidents, but the tension is palpable, especially on college campuses like Columbia’s.

In addition, part of the American Jewish youth, which is generally progressive – in their majority, American Jews vote for Democrats – has risen against the government of Israel under Benjamin Netanyahu, which it accuses of committing “genocide” of Palestinians in the Strip. Gaza. He also denounces US President Joe Biden’s military and diplomatic support for the Jewish state.

Israeli organizations such as the JVP on Saturday gathered tens of thousands of demonstrators in the federal capital Washington where they demanded an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and denounced the US policy of support for Israel.

Manhattan’s gigantic Grand Central Station was also occupied in a huge sit-in protest involving thousands of people at the end of October with the same demands, while in the Brooklyn neighborhood ten days ago there was a huge pro-Palestinian march with the participation of American Jewish organizations .

Yesterday the JVP members who took part in the occupation of the Statue of Liberty chanted “never again for anyone, never again is now”, a Jewish slogan after the Holocaust.

The organization characterizes Israel’s policy towards the Palestinians as a form of apartheid.