Five Peace Activists Arrested Outside Israel's UN Mission in New York City
They were demanding the General Assembly Call for an Arms Embargo on Israel
Peace organizations, including CODEPINK, World Beyond War, Catholic Worker, and Jewish Voice for Peace members, gathered in New York on Monday for a press conference and peaceful march. The activists, who began their demonstration at the South African Mission to the United Nations and marched to the Israeli UN Mission, called on the UN to impose an arms embargo on Israel. The event coincided with the ongoing session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Speakers at the press conference highlighted the UN's founding Mission to prevent war, criticizing the Security Council for its inaction regarding Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza and the West Bank. Organizers referenced the "Uniting for Peace" resolution, which allows the General Assembly to act independently when the Security Council is deadlocked.
As part of their protest, demonstrators carried banners and props symbolizing moral imperatives, with slogans such as "Thou Shall Not Kill" and "Thou Shall Not Steal." Speakers at the press conference called for an embargo on arms, oil, and technology to Israel, aiming to halt what they described as settler violence in the West Bank and military actions in Gaza. They also urged UN member states to uphold international law, particularly regarding the World Court's Provisional Measures designed to protect Palestinian civilians.
Craig Mokhiber, former director of the UN Human Rights office in New York, has emphasized the legal justification for boycotts, divestments, and sanctions against Israeli policies. He has stated that "UN Member States can now invoke the authoritative ruling of the World Court to credibly assert that participating in boycotts, divestment, and sanctions against Israeli occupation, colonization, and apartheid is not only a moral imperative and constitutional and human right but also an international legal obligation."
The peaceful march concluded with a sit-in outside the Israeli Mission, where five activists were arrested, including some who were Jewish. The arrests followed the group's traffic blockade in front of the Mission as part of their protest.
The rally and arrests have added to the mounting pressure on the UN to take concrete actions during the ongoing General Assembly session. Next week, Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, will address the general assembly in New York. Thousands plan to protest the visit of the war criminal - demanding his arrest for leading the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Join Us In Demanding the General Assembly Override The Security Council And Demand Immediate Peace In Gaza!
