CHICAGO – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing back against pressure for a ceasefire in Gaza. This comes after President Joe Biden told reporters Netanyahu isn’t doing enough to secure a ceasefire.
In response, several demonstrations were held Monday in Chicago.
“Nothing has changed from our perspective. There hasn’t been any significant policy changes, any end to Israeli aid to/from the U.S., all those demands we made two weeks ago are still demands we are asking for now,” said Nick Sous of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network.
Chants for the U.S. to end aid to Israel took over the city’s South Loop Monday afternoon, the 48th protest of its kind in Chicago. Demonstrators once again called out the Biden Administration.
“We’re beyond demands for a ceasefire at this point. Our demand is to end military aid and political aid and all forms of aid to the State of Israel,” Sous said.
For the second day in a row, hundreds of thousands of people took over Israel’s streets in protest of the Israel-Hamas War. This comes after the Israeli military recovered the bodies of six hostages killed by Hamas, one of whom had Chicago ties.
Thousands of workers in Israel are now on strike in anger over failure to secure a ceasefire and release of the remaining hostages.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, is pushing back against the criticism, saying in a news conference he will not be preached to.
After a rally in the South Loop, protestors marched down Michigan Avenue, saying demonstrations like this will continue, even on a holiday, to make sure their demands are heard.