Demonstrators gathered outside of the Federal Building in San Francsico on Saturday calling on the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and of U.S. politicians who have funded Israel admits the war in Gaza.
Organizers and protesters of the rally accused local and national politicians of being complicit with Israel’s role in the war and that “all US politicians must be held accountable for supplying the weapons for this genocide.”
“In what world is it considered acceptable for the United States Congress to welcome a war criminal with an outstanding ICC arrest warrant with open arms? Meanwhile, Netanyahu continues to drop bombs labeled ‘Made in the USA’ on civilians in Gaza for the tenth consecutive month, killing tens of thousands of Palestinian children,” said Rami Abdelkarim with the Palestinian Youth Movement.
The demonstration comes after Netanyahu visited the White House and addressed congress earlier in the week.
During his address Netanyahu pledged to continue the war in Gaza until Israeli hostages were released and Hamas was eliminated.
The prime ministers visit prompted protests to erupt in Washington D.C. where thousands of demonstrators called for his arrest.
Locally, protesters said they want presidential hopefuls to really consider what is happening in the region.
“I just felt like this is something I needed to do, to participate in our democratic process,” said Helene Barney, a protester. “I really felt like I needed to do this today.”
The rally also comes a few days after the Vice President and presidential hopeful Kamala Harris signaled a major shift on U.S. Gaza policy.
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On Thursday, Harris told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a White House meeting she would not “be silent” on the “dire humanitarian situation.”
"What has happened in Gaza over the past nine months is devastating. The images of dead children and desperate hungry people fleeing for safety, sometimes displaced for the second, third or fourth time," Harris said. "We cannot look away in the face of these tragedies. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering and I will not be silent."
The now presumptive Democratic presidential nominee has been more outspoken on Israel-Palestine relations than current President Joe Biden. It is speculated, if elected, Harris will potentially adopt a tougher approach on Israel.
Harris has called for the establishment of a Palestinian state and has urged for Netanyahu and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire to end the war.
The Hamas attack on October 7 resulted in the deaths of close to 1,200 people in Israel, most of which were civilians, based on figures from Israel's Foreign Ministry. Additionally, 251 people were taken hostage that day, of which 111 are still being held inside the Gaza Strip.
Israel's counterstrikes against Hamas have killed at least 39,175 Palestinians in Gaza, according to Palestinian Health Ministry. Heath officials did not differentiate deaths between civilian and Hamas combatants.
The Health Ministry added that the majority of deaths are women and children.
