Latest news with #NerdeenKiswani
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawsuit alleges anti-Israel group leaders are 'Hamas' foot soldiers in New York City'
A lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York last month claims the leaders of several radical anti-Israel groups involved in 18 months of disruptive, violent and antisemitic protests on campuses and in the streets of New York City are "accountable for aiding and abetting Hamas' continuing acts of international terrorism." In purported violation of the Antiterrorism Act and the Alien Tort Statue, the defendants are said to have "acted as Hamas' foot soldiers in New York City," and may have had foreknowledge of the designated foreign terror organization's devastating Oct. 7 attacks. Defendants in the case are Within Our Lifetime and its founder Nerdeen Kiswani, Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and its representative Maryam Alwan, Columbia-Barnard Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and its representative Cameron Jones, and Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) and its representative Mahmoud Khalil, who is currently in custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The lawsuit asserts that the associational defendants have "distribute[d] Hamas-created and affiliated propaganda, incite[d] fear and violence, and attack[ed] critical academic, economic, and infrastructure centers in New York City," as well as having "repeatedly terrorized and assaulted Jews across New York City and on Columbia University's campus, physically assaulted Columbia University employees, and illegally seized and damaged public and private property." Duffy Slams Mta Over 'Fact Check' On Anti-israel Mob's Grand Central Takeover The details of the allegations are thorough. To demonstrate how the defendants "resoundingly and knowingly answered Hamas' call to action" on and after Oct. 7, the lawsuit cites how the defendants knowingly "obtain[ed] and disseminat[ed]" a Hamas propaganda document, which contained directions created by the Hamas Media Office for spinning the narrative of their deadly attacks. By "painstakingly follow[ing]" the document, the lawsuit alleges defendants "directly responded to, and followed orders from, Hamas." Read On The Fox News App The lawsuit also supplies several indicators that defendants may have had foreknowledge of the heinous Oct. 7 attack, to include "a highly suggestive social media post published moments before the October 7 attack began" in which Columbia SJP posted on Instagram "We are back!!" after a months-long hiatus. On Oct. 7, Kiswani utilized marketing materials that "would not be released until the next day" in a National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP) "Toolkit" demonstrating how SJP organizations across the country could support the Gazan "resistance." Following Oct. 7, Within Our Lifetime promoted a "Day of Rage" in New York City while Columbia SJP and Columbia JVP promoted their own "Day of Resistance." The mere announcements of these events forced closures of Jewish schools and institutions, and "even forced Columbia University – a non-Jewish institution – to close its campus as a safety precaution," while Jewish students "were advised to lock their doors and remain inside for their own safety," according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit names Khalil as the purported leader of Columbia SJP's Day of Resistance. Columbia's Anti-israel Protesters Say Trump Pulling $400 Million In Grants From University Is A 'Scare Tactic' In November 2023, the suit describes how a "'Shut it Down for Palestine' event descended into – as planned – anti-Jewish and vitriolic hatred and threats," with speakers shouting "Death to Jews!" and "encourage[ing] Hamas and… comrades across Columbia's campus to hunt down and assault pro-Israel students." The next day, Columbia University suspended Columbia SJP and Columbia JVP, at which time "Khalil and former members and/or organizers of Columbia SJP became leaders of CUAD." As a result, CUAD "became the primary organizer of the violent and antisemitic protests that would foment terror, sow discord, and disrupt campus life at Columbia for over a year." Khalil would later become the lead negotiator of the Columbia encampment, which the lawsuit notes was "well-supplied with identical tents, toiletries, food, and professional signage." Based on a statement from Shlomi Ziv, a plaintiff in the lawsuit who was held captive by Hamas for 246 days following his kidnapping at the Nova Music Festival, "Hamas and [American Muslims for Palestine (AMP)]/NSJP provided financial, organizational, and other support… for the Encampment." Ziv alleges that his "Hamas captors bragged about having Hamas operatives on American university campuses," and even "showed him Al-Jazeera stories and photographs of protests at Columbia University that were organized by Associational Defendants." Apparent Anti-israel Activists Splash Red Paint On Homes Of Jewish Officials At Brooklyn Museum Given the "legal chasm between independent political advocacy and coordinating with a foreign terrorist organization to seed pro-terror propaganda throughout America's largest city," the lawsuit alleges the defendants' "actions violate the Antiterrorism Act and the law of nations." According to the Jerusalem Post, the National Jewish Advocacy Center, Greenberg Traurig LLP, the Schoen Law Firm, and the Holtzman Vogel Law Firm filed the suit on behalf of plaintiffs who include Ziv, several Columbia University students who have served with the Israel Defense Forces, and a number of American and Israeli citizens whose family members, most of whom are believed dead, remain in Hamas captivity. The lawsuit especially states that Khalil, "on information and belief, directly coordinates with Hamas, AMP/NSJP and/or other agents and affiliates of Hamas and related terrorist organizations." The filers state that his detention by ICE in March may have been "based on many of his actions described in this Complaint." Khalil's involvement in the Columbia protests was cited as a rationale for his removal during his April 11 hearing, when Judge Jamee Comans ruled that Khalil may be deported. Khalil also withheld past employment with the Syrian office in the Beirut British Embassy and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) as well as his membership in the CUAD when applying for a green card. This withholding of information, according to federal officials, made Khalil "inadmissible at the time of his adjustment." Disruptive events in New York City show no signs of abating. In March, students stormed a classroom at Columbia University and took over a building in affiliated Barnard College, where they assaulted an employee. A Within Our Lifetime protest on April 7 "took over" the main concourse of Grand Central Station. Fox News Digital reached out to CUAD, Columbia SJP, Within Our Lifetime, and Columbia-Barnard JVP for comment about the allegations contained within the lawsuit, but received no article source: Lawsuit alleges anti-Israel group leaders are 'Hamas' foot soldiers in New York City'
Fox News
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Lawsuit alleges anti-Israel group leaders are 'Hamas' foot soldiers in New York City'
A lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York last month claims the leaders of several radical anti-Israel groups involved in 18 months of disruptive, violent and antisemitic protests on campuses and in the streets of New York City are "accountable for aiding and abetting Hamas' continuing acts of international terrorism." In purported violation of the Antiterrorism Act and the Alien Tort Statue, the defendants are said to have "acted as Hamas' foot soldiers in New York City," and may have had foreknowledge of the designated foreign terror organization's devastating Oct. 7 attacks. Defendants in the case are Within Our Lifetime and its founder Nerdeen Kiswani, Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and its representative Maryam Alwan, Columbia-Barnard Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and its representative Cameron Jones, and Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) and its representative Mahmoud Khalil, who is currently in custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The lawsuit asserts that the associational defendants have "distribute[d] Hamas-created and affiliated propaganda, incite[d] fear and violence, and attack[ed] critical academic, economic, and infrastructure centers in New York City," as well as having "repeatedly terrorized and assaulted Jews across New York City and on Columbia University's campus, physically assaulted Columbia University employees, and illegally seized and damaged public and private property." The details of the allegations are thorough. To demonstrate how the defendants "resoundingly and knowingly answered Hamas' call to action" on and after Oct. 7, the lawsuit cites how the defendants knowingly "obtain[ed] and disseminat[ed]" a Hamas propaganda document, which contained directions created by the Hamas Media Office for spinning the narrative of their deadly attacks. By "painstakingly follow[ing]" the document, the lawsuit alleges defendants "directly responded to, and followed orders from, Hamas." The lawsuit also supplies several indicators that defendants may have had foreknowledge of the heinous Oct. 7 attack, to include "a highly suggestive social media post published moments before the October 7 attack began" in which Columbia SJP posted on Instagram "We are back!!" after a months-long hiatus. On Oct. 7, Kiswani utilized marketing materials that "would not be released until the next day" in a National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP) "Toolkit" demonstrating how SJP organizations across the country could support the Gazan "resistance." Following Oct. 7, Within Our Lifetime promoted a "Day of Rage" in New York City while Columbia SJP and Columbia JVP promoted their own "Day of Resistance." The mere announcements of these events forced closures of Jewish schools and institutions, and "even forced Columbia University – a non-Jewish institution – to close its campus as a safety precaution," while Jewish students "were advised to lock their doors and remain inside for their own safety," according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit names Khalil as the purported leader of Columbia SJP's Day of Resistance. In November 2023, the suit describes how a "'Shut it Down for Palestine' event descended into – as planned – anti-Jewish and vitriolic hatred and threats," with speakers shouting "Death to Jews!" and "encourage[ing] Hamas and… comrades across Columbia's campus to hunt down and assault pro-Israel students." The next day, Columbia University suspended Columbia SJP and Columbia JVP, at which time "Khalil and former members and/or organizers of Columbia SJP became leaders of CUAD." As a result, CUAD "became the primary organizer of the violent and antisemitic protests that would foment terror, sow discord, and disrupt campus life at Columbia for over a year." Khalil would later become the lead negotiator of the Columbia encampment, which the lawsuit notes was "well-supplied with identical tents, toiletries, food, and professional signage." Based on a statement from Shlomi Ziv, a plaintiff in the lawsuit who was held captive by Hamas for 246 days following his kidnapping at the Nova Music Festival, "Hamas and [American Muslims for Palestine (AMP)]/NSJP provided financial, organizational, and other support… for the Encampment." Ziv alleges that his "Hamas captors bragged about having Hamas operatives on American university campuses," and even "showed him Al-Jazeera stories and photographs of protests at Columbia University that were organized by Associational Defendants." Given the "legal chasm between independent political advocacy and coordinating with a foreign terrorist organization to seed pro-terror propaganda throughout America's largest city," the lawsuit alleges the defendants' "actions violate the Antiterrorism Act and the law of nations." According to the Jerusalem Post, the National Jewish Advocacy Center, Greenberg Traurig LLP, the Schoen Law Firm, and the Holtzman Vogel Law Firm filed the suit on behalf of plaintiffs who include Ziv, several Columbia University students who have served with the Israel Defense Forces, and a number of American and Israeli citizens whose family members, most of whom are believed dead, remain in Hamas captivity. The lawsuit especially states that Khalil, "on information and belief, directly coordinates with Hamas, AMP/NSJP and/or other agents and affiliates of Hamas and related terrorist organizations." The filers state that his detention by ICE in March may have been "based on many of his actions described in this Complaint." Khalil's involvement in the Columbia protests was cited as a rationale for his removal during his April 11 hearing, when Judge Jamee Comans ruled that Khalil may be deported. Khalil also withheld past employment with the Syrian office in the Beirut British Embassy and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) as well as his membership in the CUAD when applying for a green card. This withholding of information, according to federal officials, made Khalil "inadmissible at the time of his adjustment." Disruptive events in New York City show no signs of abating. In March, students stormed a classroom at Columbia University and took over a building in affiliated Barnard College, where they assaulted an employee. A Within Our Lifetime protest on April 7 "took over" the main concourse of Grand Central Station. Fox News Digital reached out to CUAD, Columbia SJP, Within Our Lifetime, and Columbia-Barnard JVP for comment about the allegations contained within the lawsuit, but received no response.
Memri
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Protester at NYC 'Emergency Protest for Gaza' Holds Placard Saying 'Bring Back October 7'; MAS Youth Center Director Mohammed Badawi: Fighting Oppression by Any Means Necessary Is a Duty; Participants
At a New York City March 19, 2025, "emergency protest for Gaza" held outside the Trump Building on Wall Street, a protester held up a placard stating "Bring Back October 7," alongside an inverted triangle, signaling support for Hamas. Sheikh Mohammed Badawi, the director of the Muslim American Society (MAS) Youth Center, stated that fighting oppression "by any means necessary" is a duty. Within Our Lifetime leader Nerdeen Kiswani led the crowd in the chant: "U.S. imperialist, number one terrorist!" The event culminated with a march to ICE headquarters in Manhattan in protest of Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil's arrest. The event was advertised on the social media accounts of the MAS Youth Center. Within Our Lifetime activist and MAS Staten Island staff member Abdullah Akl led several chants at the rally and introduced Sheikh Badawi. Another speaker at the protest, Within Our Lifetime activist Fatima Mohammed, delivered a commencement speech at CUNY School of Law. One of the participants at the rally was wrapped in the flag of the U.S.-designated terrorist organization, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
Memri
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Memri
CAIR Lawsuit Against The City Of New York, Alleging Police Brutality During October 2023 Anti-Israel Protest In Brooklyn, Joined By Nerdeen Kiswani, Leader Of 'Within Out Lifetime', Which Led NYC Protests In Support Of Palestinian Terror, Valorizing Hamas 'Martyrs', Where Speakers Called To Abolish Police, Israel, And U.S. Government, Chanting 'Death To America!'
On January 16, 2025, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) New York chapter held a press conference introducing a lawsuit against the City of New York alleging police brutality during an October 2023 anti-Israel protest in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Nerdeen Kiswani of the anti-Israel group Within Our Lifetime, [1] one of the organizers of the protest, said in the press conference that New York City Mayor Eric Adams is trying to chill the protesters' right to free speech. The video was uploaded to the CAIR-NY Instagram account on February 1, 2025. Kiswani's organization, Within Our Lifetime, has staged numerous protests prior to, and since October 7, 2023, where speakers, including Kiswani herself, espouse anti-U.S. rhetoric and antisemitic conspiracy theories, as well as openly praise Iran-backed Designated Terrorist Organizations like Hamas and Hizbullah, brandishing their emblems and images of their "martyred" leaders. At a January 6, 2025 protest in front of NYU's Tisch Hospital, organized by Kiswani's Within Our Lifetime, the evening prayer was led by a man wearing the headband of Hamas's military wing, Al-Qassam Brigades. At another event organized by the group in Time Square on July 31, 2024, following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, supporters waved the flags of Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas, and Hizbullah. Nerdeen Kiswani herself appeared on Iran's Press TV, where she said that fighting and resistance and beautiful, should be celebrated by people in the West, and are the only way to liberate Palestine. She praised West Bank terror groups Lion's Den and Jenin Brigade, saying their actions are not just self-defense, but constitute active resistance. She has also made numerous anti-U.S. statements. In a May 18, 2024 Rally in Brooklyn, Kiswani called the NYPD an "occupying army", saying: "when we say NYPD, KKK, IDF – they're all the same, we mean it." She led the crowd in a chant: "No more pigs in our community!" A July 31, 2021 rally where Kiswani served as M.C., a speaker pointed out options for "striking back" against Israel by focusing on "Palestine-related targets" within NYC. In a June 23, 2017 Times Square protest, Kiswani led the crowd in the chant "U.S. imperialist, number one terrorist!"; another speaker at the protest was Joe Catron of the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, which has since been Designated in the U.S. and Canada for being an international fundraiser for terror organization the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). [2] Below is the clip of Kiswani speaking at the CAIR press conference, followed by clips of Kiswani and her organization from the MEMRI TV archive, going back to 2017. Click here or below to view the clip on MEMRI TV: Nerdeen Kiswani: "Hello everybody. My name is Nerdeen Kiswani. I'm the founder and chair of Within Our Lifetime, and we are one of the organizers of this protest, among many other Palestine protests occurring in Bay Ridge and all over the city over the last 10 years. [...] "We've been holding rallies in Bay Ridge and for Palestinian liberation for nearly a decade. But the Palestinian community, Palestinian family members who are reeling from watching their family members, their loved ones, being killed day in and day out and terrorizing Palestine have a right to come out and say enough is enough, that we will not be complicit in our government's aiding and abetting of war crimes in our nation. "We should be allowed to be able to protest, to use our First Amendment right to freedom of speech to say that we want an end. And it's clear that the Eric Adams administration, which has close ties with the Israeli government and the Israeli military, wants to chill these rights by brutalizing these protesters. "I would like to thank CAIR-NY, I would like to thank this law office, and all of the brave people who are bringing suit to say that they will stand up for their rights to be able to speak out for a free Palestine. Thank you." 'Sick From Genocide' Protest Outside NYU Tisch Hospital: 'We Don't Want No Zionists Here!'; Prayer Leader Wears Headband Of Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades During a January 6, 2025 "Sick from Genocide" protest, which started out outside the NYU Tisch Hospital and continued with a march throughout Manhattan, protesters chanted: "We will free Palestine within our lifetime!" and "We don't want no Zionists here!" A protester waved the Al-Assad regime's Syrian flag and another protester lead the evening prayer while sporting the headband of Hamas's military wing Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades. The protest was organized by Nerdeen Kiswani's Within Our Lifetime. During the protest she announced a fundraiser for Gaza, claiming that in the past, the group had raised 75,000$ for healthcare in Gaza. Abdullah Akl, an employee of Muslim American Society (MAS) Staten Island Center led chants at the protest and was seen praying alongside the man with the Al-Qassam Brigades headband. Video of the evening prayer was posted on the Instagram pages of MAS Youth Center and Youth Halaqah, which hosted an event with Khalid Laif, NYU chaplain and imam of the NYU Islamic Center. To view the clip, click here or below: Participants In 'Flood NYC For Gaza' Rally Wave Flags Of U.S. Designated Terrorist Organizations, Yahya Sinwar; Nerdeen Kiswani Of Within Our Lifetime: A Ceasefire Is Not Enough; If You Stand With Palestinians, You Stand With Palestinian Resistance Participants in the September 2, 2024 "Flood New York City for Gaza" rally expressed support for a number of U.S. designated terror organizations. Participants waved a Hamas flag, a Palestinian flag issued by Samidoun , which was emblazed with the images of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Ziyad Nakhaleh, and PFLP leader Ahmad Sa'adat, as well as a combined flag of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades, the PFLP, and Fatah's Al-Aqsa's Martyrs Brigades. One of the rally-goers had a button on his backpack of Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obeida. Nerdeen Kiswani, chair of Within Our Lifetime, said that Israel's time is coming, that a ceasefire is not enough, and that Palestinians will liberate Palestine by any means necessary. She added: "If you stand with Palestinians, you stand with Palestinian resistance." Abdullah Akl, the political director at MAS Staten Island Center prayed for Allah to grant the people of Gaza victory over "the infidels." One of the worshippers performed sujud kneeling on the combined flag of four U.S. designated terrorist organizations. Video of the prayer was posted on the Instagram account of the Muslim American Society New York area, MAS Youth Center. To view the clip, click here or below: Protesters In Times Square Rally Following Assassination Of Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hizbullah Military Leader Fuad Shukr, Wave Hamas, Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam, Hizbullah Flags, Chant: The Martyr Is Beloved By Allah! Israel Is The Enemy Of Allah! On July 31, 2024, following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and top Hizbullah military leader Fuad Shukr, Within Our Lifetime held a rally in New York City. Protesters, waved flags of Hamas, Hizbullah, Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam, and held up photos of Haniyeh and Shukr. Some protesters made an inverted triangle gesture towards NYPD officers. According to the ADL, the inverted triangle hand gesture is "used to represent Hamas itself and glorify its use of violence in many popular anti-Zionist memes and political cartoons." Nerdeen Kiswani, the leader of Within Our Lifetime accused Israel of raping children. A protester with his face covered by a keffiyeh held up a framed photo of Haniyeh, pointed at it and chanted: "The martyr is beloved by Allah! Israel is the Enemy of Allah!" Abdullah Akl, a student at Harvard University and the advocacy director of MAS Staten Island Center, also led chants at the protest. Footage of the rally was streamed live on Status Coup News on YouTube. To view the clip, click here or below: Crowd At Brooklyn Nakba Day Rally Cheers When 'Within Our Lifetime' Leader Nerdeen Kiswani Says President Biden Will Die Soon; She Added: NYPD Is an Occupying Army; No More Pigs In Our Community! No More Zionists In Palestine! In a May 18, 2024 New York City Nakba Day rally held in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Within Our Lifetime leader Nerdeen Kiswani said that President Biden is the oldest president in American history and he will die soon. In response to this statement the crowd cheered loudly. She said that the NYPD is an "occupying army," which shares its tactics with Israel and stated: "when we say NYPD, KKK, IDF – they're all the same, we mean it." She led the crowd in a chant: "No more pigs in our community! No more Israel in Palestine! No more Zionists in Palestine!" Abdullah Akl, another leading member of Within Our Lifetime led the crowd in a chant: "There is only solution, Intifada, revolution!" Abdullah Akl is also the advocacy director at MAS Staten Island Center and a graduate student at Harvard University. Video of the rally was uploaded to the YouTube account of Javier Soriano NY. To view the clip, click here or below: Protestors, Activists At Nakba Day Rally In Brooklyn: Palestine Will Be Free By Any Means Necessary! All Of Israel Is Stolen Land – Stand Up And Fight Back! On May 13, 2023, a Nakba Day rally was held in the Bay Ridge neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. At the rally, protesters chanted in support and praise of violent Palestinian resistance and "martyrs." They chanted slogans such as "Ongoing Nakba – ongoing muqawama [resistance]!", "Liberation is our demand, all of Israel is stolen land!", "Palestine will be free by any means necessary!", "Globalize the intifada!", and "When Palestine is under attack, what do you do? Stand up, fight back!" Nerdeen Kiswani, an activist belonging to an organization called Within Our Lifetime, spoke and said that Israel is not an "actual state", but rather "a time period we are going through." She also referred to the Holyland Five, five U.S. citizens affiliated with the Holyland Foundation who are imprisoned for having funneled millions of dollars to Hamas, as "political prisoners". Footage of the rally was uploaded to the JavierSorianoNY YouTube channel. The event was advertised on social media by Within Our Lifetime as a "family friendly" event. The event was also sponsored by other organizations, including Samidoun, Existence Is Resistance, the Palestinian Youth Movement, the Muslim American Society (MAS), the An-Nour Social Center, the Muslim Community Center, American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), and others. To view the clip, click here or below: Speakers At NYC Al-Quds Day Rally: Commit Yourself To Abolishing Israel, Its Existence Is A Threat To World Peace; Fight For Palestine's Liberation By Any Means Necessary, Be Part Of The Intifada Wherever You Are At an International Al-Quds Day rally held in New York City on April 15, 2023, Nerdeen Kiswani of Within Our Lifetime said that a Jewish state has no right to exist because as long as Israel exists, it is a "threat to world peace." She said that in order to commit oneself to Palestinian liberation, one must "commit" to "abolishing Israel." Kiswani urged her audience to "fight for Palestine… until all of our land is liberated from the River to the Sea." The rally's MC praised the "martyrdom" of Ibrahim Al-Nabulsi and said that "his martyrdom left a legacy that made the Palestinian West Bank resistance stronger than when he was alive." Later in the rally, the MC led the demonstrators in the chant: "Free, free the Golan Heights! The West Bank has risen!" In addition, Husam Kaid of Awda NY led the demonstrators in chants demanding to "dismantle the Zionist occupation," and he called on them to "be a part of the Intifada where you may be." An activist named Salma from the ANSWER Coalition stated that the Palestinian "freedom fighters" have the right to "fight for their land by any means necessary." Footage of the rally was posted on the YouTube channel of Christopher Leon Johnson. To view the clip, click here or below: Rally For Palestinian 'Right To Resist And Mobilize' At UN Headquarters In New York: We Stand In Solidarity With Jenin, Nablus, And Huwarra! There Is Only One Solution – Intifada, Revolution! On March 17, 2023, American activists from several pro-Palestine organizations including Within Our Lifetime, Samidoun, and American Muslims for Palestine staged a rally for the Palestinians' "right to resist and mobilize" in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York City. Nerdeen Kiswani from Within Our Lifetime said that the United Nations had "split" Palestine by creating Israel and that the demonstrators have come to "stand in solidarity with Jenin, Nablus, Huwwara, and all of Palestine [and] to defend the Palestinian right to resist." Kiswani added: "We will continue to fight for a free Palestine." The rally's attendees also chanted "From the [Jordan] River to the [Mediterranean] Sea, Palestine will be free!", "We will free Palestine", "Zionism will fall!", and "There is only solution – Intifada, revolution!" Footage from the rally was posted to the Instagram account of Within Our Lifetime and the YouTube account of Christopher Leon Johnson. To view the clip, click here or below: Palestinian-American Activist Nerdeen Kiswani On Iranian TV: Fighting, Resistance Are Beautiful, Should Be Celebrated; That's The Only Way To Liberate Palestine; Lion's Den, Jenin Brigade Are Involved In Active Resistance, Not Just Self-Defense Palestinian-American activist Nerdeen Kiswani of the Within Our Lifetime organization said in a November 5, 2022 show on Press TV (Iran) hosted by former British MP Chris Williamson that resistance is the only "political process" that has been effective for the Palestinian people. She said that active resistance by groups considered by Israel and the U.S. to be terrorist groups is the only way to fully "liberate" Palestine, and she praised the recently-formed "Lion's Den" and "Jenin Brigade" terror groups for taking matters into their own hands. Later in the show, Kiswani said that the Palestinians should not describe their struggle solely in terms of human rights because they are "fighters" rather than "passive victims." She added that this is "something beautiful" that should be celebrated by people in the West. To view the clip, click here or below: NYC Pro-Gaza Rally Speakers: Mayor Eric Adams Supports The Murder Of Palestinian Children; The Gates Of Al-Aqsa Mosque Can Only Be Opened By Martyrs On August 8, 2022, Within Our Lifetime, along with other pro-Palestinian organizations held a rally titled "NYC Stands with Gaza," following the recent round of fighting between the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Israel. In the rally, Nerdeen Kiswani of Within Our Lifetime said: "If you stand with Israel, you stand with death and destruction." She added that "resistance is not terrorism" and said that Palestinians have the right to "defend themselves by every means possible." She also accused New York City mayor Eric Adams of supporting the murder of Palestinians and Palestinian children. Protesters chanted: "We don't want no two states – we want all of It." "Settlers go back home, Palestine is ours alone!" "We don't want no Zionists here!" and "The gate of Al-Aqsa is made of iron... It can be opened only by martyrs!" Footage of the rally was uploaded to Existence Is Resistance Instagram account and Freedom News TV – Night Edition on YouTube. To view the clip, click here or below: NYC Pro-Palestinian Rally: Zionist Professors Should Be Banned From Colleges, Zionist Students Should Not Be In The Same Spaces As Palestinians; Zionism Is A Genocidal Threat To Us On March 30, 2022, several pro-Palestinian organizations held a Land Day march in New York City. In video footage posted on DataInput on Twitter, protesters chanted "We don't want no two states, we want all of it," and "No justice, no peace." Fatima Mohammed of the CUNY Law Students for Justice in Palestine said that the same forces who are bombing people in Yemen and incarcerating black people in America are killing Palestinians. She urged the crowd to demand that "Zionist" professors be banned from college campuses and that "Zionist" students not be allowed in the same "spaces" as Palestinians. Mohammed also explained that this is because Zionism is a "genocidal threat to us." In addition, she said that the Ukraine crisis has taught Americans the meaning of occupation and genocide and the meaning of defending one's land "by any means necessary." However, Mohammed added, "we are the ones who can't defend our lands," and she said that in "this Islamophobic and genocidal country" people cannot rely on the media or government to find their will to fight. Nerdeen Kiswani of Within Our Lifetime led the crowd in chants of "From the River to the Sea Palestine, will be free." To view the clip, click here or below: Brooklyn Memorial Rally In Honor Of Palestinian "Martyrs": "If We Don't Get No Justice, They Don't Get No Peace"; "NYC Is Full Of Palestine-Related Targets, The Options To Strike Back Are Endless"; "New York To Gaza, Globalize The Intifada" In a memorial march and rally in honor of Palestinian "martyrs," protesters chanted: "If we don't get no justice, then they don't get no peace." Video of the march that took place on July 31, 2021 was posted on the YouTube channel of Karla Ann on August 2, 2021. Protesters also chanted: "With our blood and our spirit, we will redeem you, oh Palestine!" In a video of the rally that followed the march, which was posted on August 2, 2021 on the YouTube channel of JavierSorianoNY, Nerdeen Kiswani of Within Our Lifetime, who was the M.C. of the event, led the crowd in chanting in Arabic: "The Gate of Al-Aqsa is made of steel, it can be opened only by martyrs [...] either we liberate [the Al-Aqsa Mosque] or we die." She also led the crowd in English chants such as: "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free" and "New York to Gaza, globalize the Intifada!" Nancy Mansour of Existence Is Resistance led the crowd with the chant: "I am with the resistance." She said that anyone who said that Palestinians should not be calling for resistance and violence should "stand the f*ck up." Marz Saffore of Decolonize This Place said that the World Jewish Congress is working on changing the definition of antisemitism so that "resisting the settler state of Israel and fighting for Palestine" would be criminalized. She said that there are many "Palestine related targets" in New York, like the World Jewish Congress and the options to "strike back" are endless. Mike of the International League of Peoples' Struggles led the crowd in chants calling for the defeat of "U.S. imperialist war" and to "smash the settler Zionist state." In May 2021, the Twitter account of Decolonize This Place tweeted: "Wondering what to do in solidarity in the meantime? Find Zionist targets nearby, find where those Zionist fools live and where their offices are, and act!" To view the clip, click here or below: At NYC Rally In Front Of Israeli Consulate, "From The River To The Sea Palestine Will Be Free" Explained As Including Haifa, Jaffa, Tel Aviv In a New York rally held in front of the Israeli consulate, Nerdeen Kiswani of Within Our Lifetime led the crowd in chants: "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." Kiswani explained that the meaning of this chant is that not only the West Bank and Gaza will be free, but also Haifa, Jaffa, and Tel Aviv, which she claimed was established on the grounds of Tal Al-Rabi'. Kiswani said that the rally is purposefully held near such news outlets as Pix11 News, FoxNews, and CNN, who lie about the Palestinians and hide Israeli actions. She said that they have been doing this since the establishment of the "settler colonialist Zionist entity." Kiswani added that the reason the rally is held in New York City is because it is the "belly of the beast", and it is "peppered with Zionist institutions." She led the demonstrators in a chant stating: "We don't want no Zionists here." Videos of the rally, which was held on June 15, 2021, were posted on the New York Street and JavierSorianoNY YouTube channels. To view the clip, click here or below: At Brooklyn 'No To Annexation' Rally, Speakers Call To Abolish Police, Israel, And U.S. Government, Crowd Chants: 'Death To America!', 'Millions Of Martyrs Are Marching To Jerusalem!'; Activist: 'F*ck The NYPD!' When A Precinct Or A Cop Car Burns, I Feel Closer To Palestine Within Our Lifetime, a NY-based pro-Palestinian organization, organized a "Day of Rage" rally against Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank. The event, which was called "No to Annexation," was held in Brooklyn on July 1, 2020, and the video of the event was uploaded to the organizers' Facebook page. During the rally, an activist named Jamie from the pro-North Korea Nodutdol organization told the protestors that Palestine will be liberated, that Korea will be unified, and that the U.S. and its puppet governments will be "no more." Another speaker, Amin Hosain of Decolonize This Place, an anti-gentrification movement, said that the police are the enemy and an impediment to the liberation of Palestine, and he said that when NYPD cop cars burn, a "revolutionary country" is being awakened. Dequi Kioni Sadiki, wife of former Black Panther Seko Odinga, said that the European Jews who force Palestinians into refugee camps, concentration camps, and killing fields are related to the Europeans who forced Africans into slavery and prison death camps. She added that Palestine must be free like the stolen land of North America, which she referred to as "Turtle Island." A representative of the Puerto Rican New York Borica Resistance movement said that the police, Israel, and the U.S. government must be abolished. Nerdeen Kiswani from Within Our Lifetime said that Palestinians do not only want to return to Gaza and the West Bank, but that they want all of Palestine. Wrapped in a red flag, a man named Rob from the Party for Socialism and Liberation led the crowd in chant in Arabic: "Death to Israel! Death to America!" In addition, the crowd chanted: "Millions of martyrs are marching to Jerusalem!... The gates of Al-Aqsa are made of iron – its gates will only be opened by a martyr... From Gaza to Minnesota, globalize the Intifada!... Black lives matter!... Not just annexation, not just occupation, fight for liberation – bring the whole thing down!" To view the clip, click here or below: Gaza Solidarity Rally in Times Square: We Will Start an Intifada in Every Classroom, Every College Campus; We Will Shut Down Every Zionist Event; Israel Has No Right to Exist; Palestinian Resistance Is Not Terrorism On November 15, 2019, a pro-Gaza rally was held at Times Square in New York, NY. Nerdeen Kiswani of an organization called Within Our Lifetime led a chant that went: "There is only one solution: Intifada, revolution!" Husam Kaid of the City College, NY branch of Students for Justice in Palestine called for an Intifada in every classroom and in every college campus. He said: "We are going to shut down all the Zionist events [and] start an Intifada everywhere!" Sayel Kayed, a prominent NJ-based pro-BDS activist belonging to American Muslims for Palestine, said that Palestine has a God-given right to resistance and self-defense, that Palestinian resistance is not terrorism, and that Israel has no right to exist. For more from Sayel Kayed, see MEMRI TV Clip No. 6483 . To view the clip, click here or below: Antisemitic Chants, Calls for New Intifada at a Times Square Demonstration Protesting Trump's Jerusalem Declaration In a demonstration held on December 8, 2017 in Times Square, New York, to protest Trump's declaration recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, Imam Mohammad Qatanani of the Islamic Center of Passaic Country in Patterson, NJ, called to start a new Intifada. Qatanani, who was arrested in Israel as a Hamas activist in the 1990s, sparked chants of "With our souls and our blood, we will redeem you, oh Aqsa!" Nerdeen Kiswani of the NYC Students for Justice in Palestine said that every inch of Palestine – including Tel Aviv and Jaffa – is Palestinian land. Demonstrators chanted: "Khaybar, Khaybar, oh Jews, the army of Muhammad will return." To view the clip, click here or below: NYC Quds Day Rally: Hitler-Like Zionists Help ISIS and Killed JFK; Al-Baghdadi Is Israeli; U.S. #1 Terrorist At a rally held in Times Square, N.Y. on June 23, 2017 to mark International Quds Day, activists chanted anti-U.S. and anti-Israel slogans. One activist shouted that "the Zionist state has been helping ISIS since its creation" and that ISIS stood for "Israeli Secret Intelligence Service." He further said that Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi was a Mossad agent and that the Zionists had assassinated John F. Kennedy because he opposed Israel's obtaining nuclear weapons. Nerdeen Kiswani of the NYC Students for Justice in Palestine led chants of "We don't want two states, we want '48!" and "U.S. imperialist, number one terrorist!" and Joe Catron of the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network shouted: "Intifada, revolution!" and "Israel, go to Hell!" American-Filipino activist Mike Legaspi, of the "Bayan USA" alliance of Filipino organizations, accused the U.S. of "bombing the crap out of the Middle East" and demanded that "U.S. imperialism stop funding Israel." Quds Day is an annual Iranian-led event, declared by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979 and held on the last Friday of the month of Ramadhan. To view the clip, click here or below: [1] October 5, 2024. [2] October 15, 2024.
