By:  Serach Nissim

Following the calamitous, brutal deadly ambush by Hamas terrorists on the Jewish state over the weekend, the clash spilled over to some degree into Manhattan.

On Monday, hundreds of protesters from both sides of the war rallied and clashed outside the Israeli Consulate just a block away from the United Nations headquarters in Midtown.  “We gotta kill them all! We’re going to kill them all! You better leave our country! You better get out of there!” a Palestinian supporter screamed at the top of his lungs.  As reported by the NY Post, some Pro-Israelis shouted back, calling the demonstrators terrorists.  “They all need to die now!” a male pro-Israel protester retorted. “We need to protect Jews here and in America!”  Another pro-Palestinian who identified himself as, Jesse, 45, of Nolita said he believes that Hamas is just defending itself from the Israeli-occupation. “Fighting back isn’t terrorism”, he insisted. “They’re not just occupying. They’re controlling, they’re murdering. They’re bulldozing schools. They’re filling wells with cement.” he said of Israel.  “They have every right to fight back” he said of Hamas.   You cannot compare. It’s like comparing what the slaves did to get out of slavery,” he added.

Per the Post, it was the second consecutive day that Pro-Palestine protesters and supporters of Israel clashed in Midtown with the rally steering away from peaceful.  The rally often became heated with demonstrators exchanging profanities and even demanding more violence.  The two sides were separated by police barricades.  Some picket signs held by pro-Palestinians read, “End aid to racist Israel”, and “Free all Palestinian Prisoners”.  Cops, worried that violence would erupt, often stepped in to de-escalate the situation, as confrontational pro-Palestine demonstrators called for more violence against Israel.  The pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched over to Third Avenue, despite the NYPD motorcycles placed there to keep protesters from blocking traffic in the middle of the street.  The protesters stopped outside the Egyptian Consulate and chanted, “Shame on you!”, referencing reports that the country was trying to act as an intermediary and stop a full blown war.

“They are bombing our homeland,” said Karen Lichtbraun, a Jewish NYC resident, who leads Yad Yamin New York and who was at the rally.  “They’ve kidnapped our people. They’re torturing our people. They’ve invaded our homes. They’re dragging our women through the streets. They’re grabbing children directly our of their mothers’ arms,” she said.  “There’s nothing pro-Palestine about it,” she added. “They’re terrorists.  She compared the perpetrators to Nazis, saying they “committed war crimes.”

“I think it’s disgusting. I think Hamas are a bunch of murderers.” said John McGuigan, 58 of Westfield, NJ, who also attended the rally.  “I don’t believe the Palestinians are being mistreated in any way. I don’t understand why they don’t just leave for another Muslim country. I don’t get it.”

Monday’s demonstration was one of several across the country, which were sponsored by groups Within Our Lifetime, Samidoun, CUNY School of Law Students for Justice in Palestine, Decolonize This Place, Existence Is Resistance, and CUNY for Palestine, as per the Answer Coalition.

Sunday’s rally was held at Times Square and was organized by the Democratic Socialists of America.  Pro-Palestine demonstrators there had stomped on, ripped and burned an Israeli flag, the Post reported.