Coatesville Shows Up for Global Day of Action for Rafah: Ceasefire now!

Despite the rain coming down on our heads, on March 2^nd nearly one hundred people from across Southeast Pennsylvania showed up in Coatesville to express their solidarity with Rafah and all of Palestine. We will not be bothered by inconvenient weather when Palestinians face death daily.

Multiple speakers mentioned the need to continue being active and to encourage others in participating in the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement. Some corporations are directly tied to Israel while some others more indirectly. As stated during the rally, collective targeting of corporations has had an impact on the profits of several companies [1].

Most importantly, we will continue to build this movement together, it is through collective effort that we achieve the most. If you are not already involved with an organization we highly encourage you to find your local groups doing the work. We are committed to the struggle for a free Palestine!

Defeat US Imperialism

Palestinians are threatened by the bullet from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), manufactured starvation, and the raining of bombs over their heads [2]. This is only possible because of the United States continued support of Israel, having three times voted “no” on a ceasefire resolution in the United Nations 15 member Security Council [3].

As stated during the rally, the United States funds this genocide and the apartheid settler-colonial project. Over $3.5 billion a year goes to Israel [4]. While many US citizens struggle with housing and access to healthcare, these are two things universally available to Israelis.

Without the United States, the world’s leading exporter of death and destruction, the house of cards that is Israel could not continue. Since the Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, 2023, there have been growing cracks in the traditional support for Israel and its government. As the IDF destroyed hospital after hospital and targeted civilian infrastructure such as universities and bakeries, people online across the world watched in horror.

They’ve gone on to steal Palestinians personal items, as if it is a trophy hunt, and it brings to mind images of Abu Ghraib [5]. Every pro-Israel news article and social media post has been debunked or only self-exposed further how barbaric they are. They do not see the Palestinians as human beings, not even children and newborns. There are now infamous incidents of rotting newborn baby bodies being found in an abandoned hospital [6], a lynched girl who had her leg severed from her body, and a zip-tied person literally crushed after being run over by a tank [7].

Righteous Anger, Historic Inspiration

This is why we showed up on Saturday, and why millions across the world have been mobilizing and organizing for Palestine. A continuous and determined international effort forced the end of the apartheid state of South Africa. It is now our turn to pick up their torch and work tirelessly to end the genocide and the apartheid state of Israel.

We’ve made inroads already: support for Palestine is greater than ever and a majority of Americans support de-escalation of violence and an immediate and permanent ceasefire [8]. We’ve seen two large rallies for Palestine in DC on Nov 4th and Jan 13th, the largest ever in US history, with nearly a million people combined. Across the United States we’ve seen ongoing marches, rallies, caravans, sit-ins, blockades, banner drops, and interruptions of politicians and genocide supporting corporations. The protest movement in the US is shaping international politics.

Disruptions of business as usual must and will continue

Regardless of where we are – in big cities like New York City, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, or smaller places like Lancaster, Phoenixville, or Coatesville – we all have a role to play! We will petition and demand our city council, or respective political bodies, to pass ceasefire resolutions. We will continue to call on politicians to support de-escalation and ceasefire resolutions, such as H.R. 786. Currently 64 Congress members now support this as our pressure has continued to grow [9].