Granddaughter of Holocaust survivor speaks out 10/15/2024

                                    Granddaughter of Holocaust survivor speaks out

With over 200 arrests of Jewish Voice for Peace activists, the protest called for an Israeli arms embargo and an end to war profiteering by U.S. companies like Raytheon and Lockheed Martin. The demonstration highlighted the role of U.S. corporate interests in supporting Israel's military actions in the Middle East, which the organizers described as a "war of extermination" carried out with U.S. support.
Elena Stein, an organizer for Jewish Voice for Peace and the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, emphasized that the protest was about standing against what she called genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza. She criticized the U.S. government's support for Israel as driven by financial interests rather than a commitment to Jewish safety. The protest took place at the stock exchange to draw attention to how arms manufacturers profit from the ongoing violence, with stock prices for companies like Raytheon soaring alongside increased U.S. military aid to Israel.
Jewish Voice for Peace made it clear that opposing the Israeli government's actions does not equate to antisemitism, framing the demonstration as a continuation of a long tradition of Jewish anti-war activism. The protests also coincided with the climate crisis's devastation in the U.S., contrasting the billions in military aid with the underfunding of disaster relief for communities affected by recent hurricanes.
This action follows a series of protests by the group in prominent locations like Grand Central Terminal and the Statue of Liberty, demonstrating persistent pressure on the Biden administration to reconsider its support for Israel’s military.