On April 25^th, supporters of Palestine around the world encircled US embassies in a united call for accountability and justice. Samira Yussuf spoke to the protest outside the US embassy in London.

Good afternoon. Here we are, once again, to expose the role of the US and their allies in the mass murder of civilians in Gaza, in Palestine and the broader Middle East.

I want to start by listing a few facts:

– The U.S. has engaged in nearly 400 military interventions since its foundation to this day. The objectives of US foreign interventions have revolved around economic opportunity, fomenting regime change under the pretext of protecting and building democracies, and enforcing international law. No other nation has used nuclear weapons to commit mass murder in the world’s history.

– In the most recent months, ever since October 2023, the US and the UK have engaged in military attacks on Yemen. They have supported Israel’s attacks and land grabs in Syria and in Lebanon.

– Israel has repeatedly applied the Dahiya doctrine both in Gaza and in Lebanon. This doctrine calls for the maximum use of force and the deliberate targeting of civilians in the hope that civilians will turn against the resistance.

– In February this year, the US defence secretary Pete Hegseth, met with Netanyahu and said: “We’re honoured to stand alongside you and stare down many of the same threats that you do, and under President Trump’s leadership, just like you, we are totally committed to achieving peace through strength.” It was during this meeting that a fresh load of US-made 2000-pound bombs were announced to be delivered to Israel.

– The Lancet journal has reported that average life expectancy in Gaza has been shortened from 75.5 years in 2023 to 40.5 years by the end of 2024.

– Israel has killed on average one child every hour in Gaza since October 2023.

– Since Israel’s breach of the latest ceasefire, and for almost two months today, not a single can of food has made it through into Gaza. Starvation, is being weaponised again.

– According to estimates by the United Nations and Healthcare Workers Watch, more than 1,000 health-care workers have been killed in Palestinian territories in the last 17 months.

– These are not acts of self-defence; they are acts of state terrorism!

– Israel has destroyed the health system and left no university or school standing in Gaza. As a direct result of bombings and shootings, It has killed at least 64,000 people. It has deliberately caused the death of tens of thousands more from starvation and disease. It has deprived Gaza of drinking water and electricity and everything else that can sustain life. If this is not genocide, what is?

– The US have not hesitated for a single second to back Israel, financially, politically, diplomatically and morally. The US is openly supporting Israel’s attempts to ethnically cleanse Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

– Our global ruling elite, led by the US, is still ignoring the advice, the rulings and even the arrest warrants issued by the very International Law and international humanitarian law systems they created.

– The exceptionalism with which Israel is being protected is a symptom of islamophobia, racism and fascism worldwide. This exceptionalism is not protecting Jewish people from antisemitism, but quite the contrary in fact.

We are here to say: Gazans and all Palestinians are not standing alone, our solidarity movement across the globe is expanding; it is becoming stronger and more united. People are opening their eyes and they can see now how all our sufferings are interconnected; we can see how the colonial and imperialist powers, our ruling elites, are doing everything they can to shut down our dissent.

We have come here with demands:

1. Stop the genocide, stop protecting and providing military and economic support to the Genocidal Apartheid State.

2. Stop arming the Occupation of Palestinian land.

3. War criminals must be held accountable; they are not welcome here. They should not be welcomed anywhere.

4. End the siege of Gaza.

We are here to say it loud and clear: The U.S. support and active participation in Israel’s genocidal acts against our people will not go unanswered. The Palestinians will not leave, they will not bend.

USA you will see, imperialism we will defeat!

USA you will see, your supremacy we will defeat!

USA you will see, Palestine will be free!

The people united will never be defeated!

Samira Yussuf is an activist with the Community Camp4Palestine

Image: Protest at the Israeli embassy earlier this year, c/o Labour Hub.