IfNotNow is an American Jewish group which opposes the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Its membership demonstrates against politicians, United States policies, and institutions it perceives as supporting occupation, usually seeking to apply pressure through direct action and media appearances. It has been characterized variously as progressive or far-left.
Cori Anika Bush is an American politician, nurse, pastor, and Black Lives Matter activist serving as the U.S. representative for Missouri's 1st congressional district, since 2021. The district includes all of the city of St. Louis and most of northern St. Louis County.
Following the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel and outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war, the United States began to send warships and military aircraft into the Eastern Mediterranean and began sending Israel more military supplies. The Joe Biden administration stated that Israel would receive "whatever it needs" to support its offensive against the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
The year 2023 in Israel was defined first by wide-scale protests against a proposed judicial reform, and then by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, which led to a war and to Israel invading the Gaza Strip.
Events in 2023 in the Palestinian territories.
On 7 October 2023, a large escalation of the Gaza–Israel conflict began with a coordinated offensive by multiple Palestinian militant groups against Israel. A number of countries, including many of Israel's Western allies, such as the United States and a number of European countries, condemned the attacks by Hamas, expressed solidarity for Israel and stated that Israel has a right to defend itself from armed attacks, while countries of the Muslim world have expressed support for the Palestinians, blaming the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories as being the root cause for the escalation of violence. The events prompted several world leaders to announce their intention to visit Israel, including US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war led to an increased dislike of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the government from Israeli citizens due to a perceived failure of leadership on the issue, with increased calls for Netanyahu's resignation.
The Israel–Hamas war sparked a major diplomatic crisis, with many countries around the world reacting strongly to the conflict that affected the momentum of regional relations. At least nine countries took the drastic step of recalling their ambassadors and cutting diplomatic ties with Israel. The conflict has also resulted in a renewed focus on a two-state solution to the ongoing conflict.
During the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, calls for a ceasefire have been a common feature of international reactions to the conflict. Many international actors perceived an urgent need for a ceasefire due to the severity of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the increasing death toll of civilians, primarily due to the Israeli blockade and invasion of the Gaza Strip. Notably, the leaders of some European governments that generally support Israel in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict were among the voices calling for a ceasefire, including France, Spain, Portugal and Ireland, alongside Turkey, Russia, Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, among others.
The National March on Washington: Free Palestine was a demonstration held on November 4, 2023, at the National Mall, in Washington, D.C. The event was held in conjunction with similar protests across the United States and internationally.
The 2023 Democratic National Committee protests were a pro-Palestine protest turned violent. The protest organizers, the Jewish Voice for Peace and the IfNotNow movement as well as other Pro-Palestinian protesters arrived outside the DNC building on 430 South Capitol St. SE at 6:40 pm after a candlelight vigil at 3rd Street and Maryland Avenue SW. The protest forced Capitol Police to shut down several roads in the area as officers tried to deal with the protesters.
Protests, including rallies, demonstrations, campaigns, and vigils, relating to the Israel–Hamas war have occurred nationwide across the United States since the conflict's start on 7 October 2023, occurring as part of a broader phenomenon of the Israel–Hamas war protests around the world.
A temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip took effect from 24 November 2023 to 30 November 2023, during the Israel–Hamas war.
Events in 2024 in the Palestinian territories.
Israel has been accused of committing genocide in the Gaza war and the Biden administration has been accused of complicity in the genocide. The complicity accusation has been made in court, by federal staffers, human rights organizations and academic figures around the world.
The Israel–Hamas war protest vote movements are protest vote movements targeting the 2024 United States Democratic Party presidential primaries to protest US president Joe Biden's policy towards the Israel–Hamas war as part of larger Israel–Hamas war protests in the United States. After a notable "uncommitted" vote in the US state of Michigan, activists sought to replicate the protest in other US states. The movement is primarily led by a vocal minority of Muslim Americans, Arab Americans, and progressives.
Artists4Ceasefire is a collective of actors, filmmakers, and other artists calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire during the Israel–Hamas war in Gaza, the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians, and the release of all hostages. The collective was started on October 20, 2023.
Numerous municipalities and other local bodies in the United States have passed resolutions urging a ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war. Richmond, California became the first city to pass such a resolution on October 25, eighteen days after the outbreak of hostilities. Resolutions are generally modeled after the Ceasefire Now resolution, introduced in the US Congress by Cori Bush, which also called for release of the hostages. At least 20 cities condemned the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel. Seventy cities had passed resolutions by the end of January 2024. As of March 2024, resolutions have passed in over 100 localities, including the major cities of Atlanta, Chicago, Dayton, Detroit, Minneapolis, Providence, Sacramento, Seattle, St. Paul, St. Louis, San Francisco, and Toledo.
Writers Against the War on Gaza is a coalition of writers, academics, artists, journalists, and culture workers seeking to protest the Israel–Hamas war and mobilize for Palestinian liberation via cultural organizing. Their tactics are based on Vietnam War-era culture worker mobilization, and, in particular, the organization American Writers Against the Vietnam War.
Following the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war on October 7th, 2023, the United Kingdom has provided Israel with extensive military and diplomatic support. In response to the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak asserted that the United Kingdom "unequivocally" stands with Israel. The UK also issued an "unequivocal condemnation" of Palestinian militant group Hamas and deployed British Armed Forces personnel and assets to the Eastern Mediterranean to support Israel.
