Protest Planned In Jersey City To Block Gun Sales In Israel

JERSEY CITY, NJ — A protest is planned in Jersey City on Friday in front of Senator Bob Menendez's office downtown, calling to block the sale of weapons to Israel.

Protesters are calling on Sens. Menendez and Cory Booker to block the sale of weapons to Israel in the wake of violent fighting between Israel and Hamas, leaving hundreds of Palestinians and Israelis injured and killed.

The protest is planned for 3 p.m. at 210 Hudson St. Harborside 3 and will be followed by a live phone bank webinar.

The last few weeks have marked some of the most violent fighting in years in the Gaza Strip. Palestinians had been protesting in East Jerusalem in mid-April during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan against Israeli police, who placed barriers to stop evening gatherings at the walled Old City's Damascus Gate, according to Reuters news.

The crescendo of an impending legal case that would evict Palestinian families from their homes to make way for Israeli settlers, added tension. When Israeli police raided Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest shrine in Islam, over a week of violence began between Israeli forces and Hamas, leaving hundreds dead, many of them Palestinians living in Gaza. At least 61 children have died, the New York Times reports.

Sen. Menendez is the Chair of the Senate committee on Foreign Relations. Sen. Booker also sits in this committee. The Biden administration approved the sale of $735 million worth of precision guided weapons to Israel.

Sen. Menendez released a statement about the fighting in Gaza earlier this week — the statement did not mention the U.S. weapons sale to Israel.

"I am deeply troubled by reports of Israeli military actions that resulted in the death of innocent civilians in Gaza as well as Israeli targeting of buildings housing international media outlets. In response to thousands of rocket attacks fired by Hamas aimed at civilians, Israel has every right to self-defense from terrorists committed to wipe her off the face of the map. But no matter how dangerous and real that threat may be, I have always believed the strength of the U.S.-Israeli relationship flourishes when it is based on the shared values of democracy, freedom, pluralism, and respect for human rights and the rule of law," the statement reads in part.

Sen. Booker also released a statement this week along with 29 other senators urging an immediate ceasefire — the statement did not mention U.S. weapons sale to Israel.

"To prevent any further loss of civilian life and to prevent further escalation of conflict in Israel and the Palestinian territories, we urge an immediate ceasefire," the 29 Senators said in a joint statement.

Friday's planned protest is hosted by the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR-NJ, and American Muslims for Palestine New Jersey chapter.

In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said, "The ‘unshakable’ friendship with Israel is shaking across America, and the world. In an unprecedented fashion, New Jerseyans of diverse backgrounds from across the state are standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people and speaking out against the war crimes of the Israeli government."

AMP-NJ Vice Chairman Wassim Kannan said, "Our organizations and community members are in the unique, privileged position of having the Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Menendez, accountable to us. The wave of public opinion is clear, especially in NJ, and we will make that evident in our May 21st action. We are calling on the Senator to make the conscientious decision of halting material support for the destruction being brought upon the Palestinian people. This decision will position him on either the right or wrong side of history. Where will he stand?"