According to event organizer Jack Gilroy, a group of over 100 people protested outside General Dynamics in a cold rain in Scranton, PA, Joe Biden’s home town. This factory manufactures ammunition required by both Israel and Ukraine to keep the U.S. backed slaughterhouse in business. Sponsors for this action include: Ban Killer Drones, The Merchants of Death Tribunal, Broome County Peace Action, Broome County Veterans For Peace and Upstate Drone Action.
The event was given positive coverage by WVIA News in Scranton, which published a great slideshow on their website.
The Press Release is below:
Following talks with Blinken, Israel has resumed bombing of Gaza, including the south, where Israel told Palestinian civilians to go in what UNICEF spokesperson James Elder is calling “a war on children.” An Israeli spokesperson states its forces are unleashing “the mother of all thumpings” on Gaza. The Israeli +972 Magazine published the piece “‘A mass assassination factory’: Inside Israel’s calculated bombing of Gaza.” See Al Jazeera live stream and X/Twitter list. There have been major protests around the world, from South Africa to Denmark to Jordan.
This weekend, a coalition of groups protested in Biden’s hometown of Scranton, Penn.
Video by Heriberto Rodriguez:
The protests centered around a General Dynamics facility which the coalition states “makes 155 mm shells which have been used by Israeli artillery to bomb Gaza where over 15,000 people have been killed with 75 percent being children and women. The geographic area of Gaza is just one-third the size of Lackawanna County [where Scranton is located]. Israel has dropped 25,000 tons of explosives on tiny Gaza — equal to the explosive force of two nuclear bombs. … The Biden administration ordered 57,000 155 mm shells to be delivered to Israel.”
The groups include Northeast Pennsylvania for Palestine, Veterans for Peace and Democratic Socialists of America. The coalition states: “Genocide Joe is attempting to remove all restrictions currently in place on Israel’s access to U.S. stockpiles in the region as a way of sidestepping congressional approval. The killing must stop.”
Video by John Amidon:
The coalition cites the “Leahy Law that prohibits sending weapons to known human rights violators” and vows to block the main gate of General Dynamics facility.
“Josh Paul, a former senior State Department official overseeing arms sales who resigned in protest last month, said that Israel is in violation of international law. ‘Israel is committing war crimes in its actions in Gaza right now,’ he said. ‘And it’s not just my opinion. I’ve actually heard from officials across government, including elected officials at a very senior level, who share that opinion but aren’t willing to say it in public.’
“Hospitals had become refuge for many, and they have been bombed, along with actual refugee camps. Even during this ‘humanitarian pause’ Gazans who have attempted to return home in the North have been fired on by the Israeli Forces. “While we are pleased to see the reunification of families … we must remember the Israeli government has vowed that they will continue their campaign of carnage after the temporary ‘humanitarian pause.’
“We in no uncertain terms condemn Rep. Matt Cartwright, Sen. Bob Casey, and Sen. Fetterman for providing rhetorical cover for the genocide of Palestinians. We condemn President Biden, who could stop this genocide with a phone call and who has been a vehement supporter of the brutal Israeli occupation his entire political career.”
Speakers at the rally at noon on Sunday included:
Mike Ferner, Director of Veterans for Peace USANick Mottern, National Board of Directors of VFP
Ariel Gold, Director of Fellowship of Reconciliation Jamie Santiago, University of Scranton studentJulia Stanley, Binghamton NY Peace and Justice advocateLori Watson, Scranton Peace and Justice advocateJack Gilroy, Pax Christi USA/VFP
*Featured Image: Protesters outside General Dynamics in Scranton, protesting US weapons sales to Ukraine and Israel which result in tens of thousands of pointless deaths while US corporations receive billions of $$. src ~Vera Scroggins Video above.
For more information about the activities of US weapons manufacturers, check out the Merchants of Death Tribunal. It has already begun with an introductory session on November 5, followed by new sessions released on zoom every Sunday night at 8pm. The schedule can be found on merchantsofdeath.org and the video presentations from each session are on Rumble.