Palestinian graduate refuses to shake hands with Blinken
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Palestinian graduates at Georgetown University raised the Palestinian flag and held photos of martyred journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in defiance of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's presence.
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The student is Nooran Hamdan
During a graduation ceremony at Georgetown University, students displayed their mounting anger at the US administration's complicity in the brutal Israeli oppression of the Palestinian people and their unprobed murder of journalists.
Donning their keffiyehs, Palestinian students held a picture of martyred journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was assassinated by the IOF on May 11, and boldly faced US Secretary of State Antony Blinken who was present in the ceremony.
The students held banners with Abu Akleh's photos and slogans that read "Resistance until liberation", and "We honor martyr & journalist Shireen Abu Akleh".
Myself & my classmates in Arab Studies honored the legacy of Shireen Abu Aqleh during Anthony Blinken’s commencement address. We demand an independent investigation & an end to American aid to Israel now. I relayed these demands to Blinken personally & refused to shake his hand. pic.twitter.com/xJB8cKwqnj
— Nooran A. (@nooranhamdan) May 21, 2022
A Palestinian graduate, Nooran Hamdan, walked on stage and held up the Palestinian flag as she received her diploma and refused to shake hands with Blinken, before continuing to shake hands with other University personnel.
The flag of Palestine accompanies a Palestinian student during her graduation ceremony at #Georgetown University in the presence of US Secretary of State Blinken
— Uncle 𓂆 🇵🇸 (@bani_basel) May 22, 2022
🇵🇸#FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/gvN0vHcuwv
Hamdan revealed in a tweet that Blinken approached her saying "I hear you", before walking away when she demanded that Washington cut all aid to "Israel".
At the end of commencement @SecBlinken came up to me personally and said “I hear you.” I reiterated that an independent investigation and accountability for Israel were necessary. He walked away when I told him to cut all American aid to the Israeli military.
— Nooran A. (@nooranhamdan) May 21, 2022
The gesture went viral on social media after this month's protests in the US and Canada in support of Palestine.
