The anti-Israel crowd came to Texas on Sunday as about 10,000 people marched in a pro-Palestinian demonstration at the state’s capitol building. The gathering, which could be the largest of its kind in the Lone Star state, is part of a broader series of rallies taking place across the United States, Canada, and various European nations.
These demonstrations, which are expected to continue through mid-November, constitute a widespread left-wing backlash against Israel’s counterattack against Hamas after the terrorist group launched a massive assault on the Jewish state on October 7.
An estimated 10,000 people from across the Lone Star State attended a protest in support of Palestinians at the Capitol on Sunday. It is believed to be the largest pro-Palestinian rally in Texas since the war began Oct. 7.
A diverse crowd of all ages, religions and ethnicities turned out to protest the ongoing war in Gaza, displaying their palpable anger and desperation. According to the World Health Organization, more than 10,000 Gazans have lost their lives since the start of the war, the majority of them women and children.
Protesters called for a cease-fire and political accountability Sunday, levying accusations of genocide and complicity on Gov. Greg Abbott and President Joe Biden. Abbott visited Israel on Nov. 2 in a show of support to the Middle Eastern country and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The rally at the Texas Capitol was noteworthy not only for its size but also for the focus of the protesters’ grievances. While there was much vitriol against the Israeli government and its leadership, participants also took President Joe Biden and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to task for supposedly supporting “genocide” in Gaza. The genocide trope has been one of the most commonly used among the anti-Israel crowd for years. Yet, opening a dictionary is all one needs to show that Israel is not committing genocide or ethnic cleansing against residents of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
But, as with the vast majority of these events, there is one target that is not being singled out for condemnation: Hamas, the terrorist organization that started this current conflict by deliberately targeting Israeli men, women, and children. Despite its extensive history of egregious human rights violations against the Palestinian people, those claiming to support their cause simply can’t find it in their hearts to say an unkind word about Hamas.
Anyone who has been watching the news since the October attack would not be surprised by this. There are some who are truly concerned about the conditions in which Palestinian civilians live. It is easy to tell which ones actually care about Gaza’s civilians and which ones are simply anti-Israel by paying attention to who they criticize. The former group might criticize Israel’s actions, but they will also acknowledge that Hamas is a depraved organization that has made peace between Israel and the Palestinians impossible.
At this point, the demonstrations that are getting the most attention appear to be more anti-Israel than pro-Palestinian. What this story, along with countless others, shows is that people will go so far as to support a bonafide terrorist organization if it means attacking the Jewish people.