Americans Rally Against Gaza Genocide, But American Defense Lobby Fuels the War

News:

Across the United States, protests surge, with demonstrators drawing attention to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. From major university campuses to the heart of Wall Street, Americans demand an end to U.S. support for the Zionist entity. While Americans rally against the violence, the government continues to act in direct opposition to the people’s demands, as the majority of Americans are against the genocide (Gallup), highlighting the influence of special interest groups over so-called democratic representation.

In the past two weeks, numerous protests across the U.S. have shown widespread opposition to the actions of the Zionist Entity. Harvard University witnessed professors leading a "study-in" protest against the administration's decision to suspend students involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Harvard Medical School clinical instructor Lara Z. Jirmanus remarked, “The Harvard administration has created a climate of fear on campus by prohibiting any speech or protest which is in defense of Palestinian health and human rights and Palestinian lives” (NBC Boston).

At Columbia University, hundreds of students participated in a massive walkout on October 7 as part of the broader pro-Palestinian movement sweeping across American campuses. In addition to these actions, thousands of protesters, led by the Palestinian Youth Movement, took to the streets in Los Angeles. The protest, which marked the one-year anniversary of the ongoing Genocide in Gaza, was one of over 55 similar events nationwide (USC Annenberg Media).

The protests extended beyond university grounds, reaching into the nation's financial center. Hundreds of demonstrators, led by Jewish Voice for Peace, gathered at the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street. Their message was clear: stop arming the Zionist entity. Beth Miller, political director of Jewish Voice for Peace, articulated the protesters' sentiments, “Israel is using U.S. bombs to massacre communities in Gaza while simultaneously weapons manufacturers on Wall Street are seeing their stock prices skyrocket” (NBC New York). The protest arrested over 200 people, further reflecting the growing public frustration with U.S. policies.

Comment:

These demonstrations showcase the deep divide between the American public, which opposes genocide, and the U.S. government, which continues to support the genocide through financial and military aid to the Zionist entity.

The U.S. government’s unyielding support for the Zionist entity highlights the dangerous influence of special interest groups like the Zionist lobby and the military-industrial complex. These groups have a firm grip on U.S. foreign policy, ensuring that politicians prioritize their financial and political interests over the people's voices. This disconnect between the public and the government exposes a critical flaw in the democratic system.

America, the nation that claims to be the beacon of freedom and the protector of human rights, is nothing more than a facade. Its hands are soaked in blood as it pretends to promote peace through democracy. But this democracy is spread by dropping bombs and missiles on the poor and helpless. The supposed champions of justice in Washington cloak their actions in the language of reform, while in reality, they sow corruption and destruction.

Allah (swt) exposes this false narrative, Allah says,

[وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لاَ تُفْسِدُواْ فِي الأَرْضِ قَالُواْ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ * أَلا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْمُفْسِدُونَ وَلَـكِن لاَّ يَشْعُرُونَ]

“And when it is said to them, ‘Do not cause corruption on the earth,’ they say, ‘We are only peacemakers.’  Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they perceive [it] not." [TMQ Surah Al-Baqarah 2:11-12]. Washington’s leaders, who claim to seek peace, are the very ones arming and funding the Zionist entity, fueling the genocide.

Today, we witness a democracy that serves the elite. The defense lobby ensures that financial and military aid continues to flow, regardless of public outcry. The military-industrial complex profits from war, making billions of dollars by selling weapons that fuel violence across the globe. As a result, politicians align themselves with these interests, ignoring the demands of the people they claim to represent.

The protests across America demonstrate that the majority of Americans oppose the genocide in Gaza, yet the government remains committed to supporting the Zionist entity. This apparent divide between public opinion and government policy exposes the hypocrisy of democracy. The voices of the people are drowned out by the interests of a few powerful groups that benefit from war and oppression.

Democracy, from its very inception, has been a tool of the elite, designed to protect their power and wealth. It has never truly represented the will of the people. Special interest groups, particularly the defense lobby, control the system, ensuring that policies favor those who profit from war and oppression. While Americans flood the streets in protest of the genocide in Gaza, their government, driven by those who benefit from the conflict, continues to fund and arm the Zionist entity.

This system is not one of freedom or representation but of exploitation. It serves the interests of the wealthy and powerful, disregarding the cries of the common man. The ongoing protests only highlight the deep divide between the desires of the people and the actions of their government, exposing democracy as an oppressive structure that works for those in power, not the citizens it claims to serve.

Written for the Central Media office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Dr. Diwan Abu Ibrahim – America