NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) —Opposing rallies took place steps away from each other in Midtown Manhattan on Monday as one group gathered in response to Hamas' weekend attack on Israel, while the other rallied against Israel's ongoing counterattacks.
While hundreds voiced support for the Palestinian cause on one side of the barricade at around 2 p.m., a similar number gathered in solidarity with Israel on the opposite end on 42nd and 43rd St. and 2nd Ave.
Chants from both sides echoed throughout the streets; “Occupation is a crime. From New York to Palestine,” shouted the pro-Palestinian protesters. And from across, “Jews united will never be defeated,” resonated from the pro-Israel ralliers.
“Palestine has been facing this kind of violence and even a higher magnitude for 75-plus years. It's just not getting the airtime,” Nour Suleiman, who has family in the West Bank, told WCBS 880's Mack Rosenberg.
Despite the intense atmosphere, the gatherings, closely monitored by the NYPD, remained largely peaceful. There were some isolated incidents: a dispute led to a pro-Palestinian protester hurling coffee at opponents.
“Unfortunately not all are disgusted by what has happened, and there's something really wrong with that,” an Israeli demonstrator, Libby Zelikovitz, said.
Rallies weren't the only events of the day. In Kew Gardens, Queens, a peaceful gathering called for prayers for those affected by Saturday's tragic attack.
On Oct. 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza killing hundreds of people. Israeli soldiers and civilians have also been kidnapped by Hamas and taken into Gaza. President Joe Biden labeled the attack as an "appalling terrorist assault."
Signs reading "I stand with Israel" were displayed.
Congressman Gregory Meeks addressed attendees, underlining that Hamas would face repercussions. “Look at those horrific pictures of children. You can't negotiate peace with someone who believes that Israel does not have the right to exist,” he said.
Security concerns in the wake of these tensions have been evident across the city. Former NYPD official Mitchell Silber, currently serving as the Executive Director of the Community Security Initiative, cited previous incidents, “You only have to go back to May of 2021, during the Israel-Hamas conflict, where we witnessed violence on the streets of NYC,” he told WCBS 880’s Marla Diamond.
Silber was in Israel during the recent attacks, spearheading a delegation aimed at understanding anti-Semitism.
In Israel and the Palestinian territories -- particularly in Gaza -- tensions have escalated sharply. Israel has intensified its airstrikes on Gaza, prompting significant humanitarian concerns, voiced by the United Nations.
Hamas, in response, has threatened retaliatory measures against captured Israelis and announced that it would execute Israeli hostages if strikes on Gaza continue.
The death toll on both sides has risen to 1,500, about 900 of whom are Israeli victims. More than 250 of the dead had been attending a music festival near the Gaza border when gunmen attacked.
“We have only started striking Hamas,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a nationally televised address. “What we will do to our enemies in the coming days will reverberate with them for generations.”
Casualties continue to rise, with both Israel and Gaza reporting hundreds of deaths and thousands wounded.
The protests in New York are anticipated to continue throughout the week.