Scenes of Palestinian emergency workers, journalists, displaced refugees, and children in Gaza celebrating on the streets widely circulated following the announcement of a ceasefire deal. In the United States, Israel’s most powerful ally, people involved in the Palestine solidarity movement met the moment with a similar sense of both mourning and cautious optimism.
The Palestinian Youth Movement, a Palestinian diaspora organization that has played a key role in organizing mass demonstrations in the United States since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza, joins “our people in welcoming the prospect of a durable ceasefire agreement,” according to a statement released October 9.
However, according to PYM, “our optimism must be a cautious one, given Israel’s repeated ceasefire violations.” The previous ceasefire in Israeli aggression, which took place from January to March of 2025, was dramatically ended when Israeli forces launched a surprise attack on Gaza, killing over 400 Palestinians in a single morning.
“We must struggle until the last jail cell of the occupation is empty, every inch of Palestinian land liberated, and the right of return fulfilled,” PYM concluded.
Demonstrations were held across the country on October 9. In the Little Arabia enclave of Anaheim, California, a speaker entreated a gathered crowd of dozens to “continue organizing for a comprehensive arms embargo.”
“We also know that Israel is going to try to recover its image,” the speaker continued. “It’s going to try to seek normalcy. We must never allow that to happen.”
“We’ve transformed this society”
“Our work and our struggle does not end at a ceasefire,” said an activist in Dallas, Texas, standing on the sidelines of a rally marking the ceasefire agreement. “Our movement is the strongest it’s ever been.”
“I know it’s been a hard two years, hardest for all for the people in Gaza,” said Joe Tache, a socialist activist running for US Senate in Massachusetts, at a rally in Boston on Sunday. “But don’t let yourself feel demoralized. Demoralization, pessimism, that’s the enemy whispering in your ear.”
“We have great cause to feel optimistic about the future, here in this country and across the world, because when I look out into the faces in this crowd, we’ve transformed this society.”
US disapproval of Israel and Israeli actions are at an all time low in the US. A New York Times/Siena poll revealed how US support for Israel has collapsed in the span of two years of genocide: after October 7, 47% backed Israel and 20% backed Palestinians. Now it’s 34% and 35%, with 31% undecided. A majority, 51%, now oppose sending more aid to Israel.
Taher Dahleh, a member of the Palestinian Youth Movement in New York City, asked a gathered crowd of protesters in front of the New York Public Library if they would still be in the streets for Gaza one year from now. The crowd responded with a resounding “yes!”
“Will you be here every day, every second, every minute, until Gaza is free, until Gaza is rebuilt, until Palestine is free?” Dahleh asked, to continued cheers.
The post Within the US, pro-Palestine movement vows to continue struggle for lasting peace appeared first on Peoples Dispatch.
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