The group El Paso for Palestine is partnering with Students for Socialism-NMSU to protest against Israel in San Jacinto Plaza tomorrow, December 17 at 1:00pm.
This will be the second major anti-Israel protest in our Downtown since the October 7 massacre. The first was held October 21 and attracted more than 400 participants, many chanting for Israel’s destruction, with some wearing green armbands or scarves in solidarity with Hamas.
This time the protesters are demanding:
- An immediate ceasefire and lifting of the “siege” on Gaza.
- An end to El Paso’s sister city relationship with Hadera, Israel.
- Complete divestment from Israel.
Students for Socialism-NMSU, in the caption for their Instagram announcement of the recent anti-Israel protest in Austin, refers to Israel as the “zionist entity” and accuses Texas of funding genocide.
We have questions for these two groups.
Why don’t they protest against Hamas, which slaughtered 1,200 people in cold blood, kidnapped 240 others, and rained missiles upon Israeli cities?
Why don’t they protest that Hamas has outlawed elections during the 18 years they have been in power and diverted billions of dollars of foreign aid to weapons purchases and to the bank accounts of their leaders in Qatar?
Why are they unconcerned that Hamas openly calls for destroying Israel and killing all Jews worldwide, or that they demand the murder of Americans and Europeans?
Why are they silent in the face of widespread and well-documented civil rights abuses across the Middle East, including the use of poison gas against civilians, the systematic murder of gays, and the brutalization of women and girls.
Why do they ignore that Iran, the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world, is the primary backer of Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis in Yemen, and that it is developing nuclear bombs and long-range missiles in order to threaten Israel, Europe, and the United States?
Perhaps our media should consider asking these questions rather than us.