Pro-Palestinian groups in Oakland slam 'malicious propaganda campaign'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Guardian
1 Dec 2023 11:22

Pro-Palestinian groups in Oakland City assert that their remarks in a video had undergone extensive editing to distort people's positions with the aim of dissuading support for a ceasefire in the US.

Pro-Palestinian activists rally, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza in Washington on November 4. (AP)

Key Democratic party figures in California and pro-Israeli organizations in the Bay Area have strongly criticized all expressions of support for Palestinian Resistance, most notably Hamas, in the context of defending their land as voiced during a heated Oakland City Council debate on Monday.

In response to comments made by the public during an Oakland City Council debate on a ceasefire resolution for the ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, Democratic leaders and pro-Israeli groups in the Bay Area condemned what they described as expressions of support for Hamas and conspiracy theories. The statements, including portrayals of Hamas as justified armed resistance, were strongly bashed by the pro-Israeli group Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) as a "disgrace."

'A malicious propaganda campaign aimed at dissuading support for a ceasefire'

Reflecting the heightened political tensions arising from the Israeli aggression on Gaza in cities across the United States, pro-Palestinian groups in the Bay Area strongly opposed the edited video clips. They asserted that the remarks had undergone extensive editing to distort people's stances, characterizing it as a 'malicious propaganda campaign' aimed at dissuading support for a ceasefire.

In the lead-up to a vote by the Oakland City Council, comments were made, ultimately culminating in the unanimous adoption of a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire after hours of public discussion.

The motion appealed for the protection and security of "all innocent civilians," the "release of all hostages," and the unhindered provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Councilmember Carroll Fife, the resolution's sponsor, characterized the document as deliberately formulated to "depoliticize" language and bridge divides. This mirrors the sentiments echoed by progressive Democrats in Congress in House resolution HR 786, urging the Biden administration to advocate for an immediate "de-escalation of hostilities".

It's important to highlight that a temporary ceasefire concluded on Friday, and the brutal Israeli aggression on Palestinians persists, resulting in numerous casualties in the few hours following the expiration of the truce.

Footage circulating on social media shows the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike targeting a house in Khan Younis in the #Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/Gjqm9jonym
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) December 1, 2023

Do you condemn Palestinian right to resist occupation?

The remarks during the Oakland debate were triggered by the rejection of a proposed amendment "condemning Hamas for the October 7 attacks," which was voted down 6 to 2. As the amendment was read aloud, loud boos emanated from the public floor, as reported by the Associated Press.

The Israeli political and military command sought to frame Hamas fighters for the murdering of Israeli settlers in the area in the aftermath of the wide-scale confrontations in the envelope settlements and kibbutzim. The IOF and Israeli officials carried out a systematic campaign that sought to demonize the Palestinian Resistance, equating Hamas to ISIS while claiming unverified evidence of the alleged acts. Many media outlets uncovered that "Israel" killed its own settlers, providing evidence that proves it.

An Israeli settler who witnessed the Palestinian Resistance's Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on Gaza envelope settlements confirmed that some settlers were "undoubtedly" killed at the hands of Israeli occupation forces, The Electronic Intifada news website reported on October 17.

'Calling hamas a terrorist organizations plays into genocidal propagnada'

Some speakers asserted that condemning Hamas was deemed as racist or a manifestation of white supremacy. “Calling Hamas a terrorist organization is ridiculous, racist, and plays into genocidal propaganda,” said another.

A woman was heard in the edited clips saying, “As an Arab, asking with this context to condemn Hamas is very anti-Arab racist.” In a longer version of her comments posted separately, she also stated that she is a non-Palestinian Lebanese citizen who has “survived three Israeli invasions … Seventy-five years of Israeli colonization, and now we want to condemn Hamas.”

Ceasefire resolutions have been adopted in Richmond, California, the nearby city, as well as in two cities in Michigan with significant Arab American populations. Additionally, similar resolutions have been passed in Atlanta, Georgia; Akron, Ohio; Wilmington, Delaware; and Providence, Rhode Island.

The Bay Area chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), supporting the ceasefire motion, characterized the overall hearing as a peaceful assembly of residents. In a statement cited by The Guardian, JVP implied that the circulated video clips were part of a "malicious propaganda campaign" intended to “undermine Oakland’s life-affirming resolution."

Since October 7, sizable and passionate gatherings and rallies were held across the United States, brandishing signs and vocalizing chants, expressing their deep-seated frustration, outrage, and fear concerning the death toll of over 15,000 Palestinians, including more than 6,000 children. Several protesters, including a large number of American Jews, mentioned that their participation in the pro-Palestinian rallies aimed to encourage American policymakers to advocate for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza.

Simultaneously, pro-Israeli groups in the United States blasted the pro-Palestinian rallies, taking active measures to counter them. Using antisemitism as a weapon of choice, these groups exerted strenuous efforts to diminish the impact of the pro-Palestinian movement. The attempt to frame the rallies and debates through the lens of antisemitism adds another layer to the propaganda war "Israel" is conducting side by side with the genocide in Gaza.