Nakba 2026 Washington Sq NYC

 May 15, 2026 - Washington Square-NYC. the 78th anniversary of the Nakba, or ''catastrophe'', when over 750,000 Palestinians were ''ethnically cleansed'' from their homes and countless villages; they claim they were wiped off the map during the establishment of Israel.

The 'Pali" version of  the so called Nakba also claims that since  1948, the Israeli government has continued the Nakba by carrying out a policy of occupation, apartheid, and genocide enabled by U.S. weapons.

Nerdeen Kiswani's excerpted speech gives a look-see at the reasoning behind Within Our Lifetime's lock-step version of 1948. (she actually spoke for a full 15 minutes)

The rally and march in Washington Square were organized by New York-based Palestinian group Within Our Lifetime, with contingents led by groups like the Muslim American Society and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. Also in attendance were members from Brooklyn Against War, Al-Awda, and the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, as well as a contingent of "Orthodox" Jewish (aka Neturei Karta) protesters led by Rabbi Dovid Feldman. [https://fightbacknews.org/articles/new-york-hundreds-rally-at-washington-square-park-to-commemorate-al-nakba-day]

The Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) is a national organization of revolutionaries fighting for socialism in the United States. "Our home is in the working class."  ... This Muslim Socialism connection includes New York's Mayor Mamdani.

Nerdeen Kiswani then asked in the chant video, "Will they stand with the 'palestinian' revolution or look away and make things look as normal." She continued, " The people of Gaza have let us know there is no normal. Normal died on October 7th." (The only reference heard regarding the murders of innocent Israels on October 7th)) Flickr Slide Show

  

. "The Nakba lives in every bombing campaign … but the struggle also continues to live with every resistance fighter, with every Palestinian mother who continues to bear children." Nerdeen Kiswani

“The state of Israel and Zionism must be abolished.”

Before the very public Asr prayers, heard the speaker refer to Islam as a "Living Tradition". (Did some research on that near the end of this post.)

 
.Should be obvious what they are protesting for and against in the Flickr slideshow

.NEXT a look at the pro-Israel counter to the anti-Israel rally

The police were forced to re-locate a pro-Israel table that had been surrounded by the anti-Israel protestors. But the anti-Israel protestors followed the pro-Israel contingent to where the NYPD relocated them. And continued harassing them. Near the end of photos is anti-Israel protestor, Emily Marnell. She seemed to start the whole kerfuffle with the police earlier causing them to be moved.

Flickr Slide Show  

Conclusion of my coverage of protest in Washington Sq
Did not follow the march thru NYC streets**

A final note on what is a Living Tradition

ISLAM: a Living Tradition

Nov 26, 2025 —  This perspective re-frames Islam as a living tradition, deeply intertwined with local cultures and histories, while also engaging universal human questions of meaning, beauty and transcendence.

... to understand Islam beyond doctrine and law ... a book that will not only be useful to students embarking on the study of Islam, but will also help foster inter-religious understanding.”

The Institute of Ismaili Studies [https://www.iis.ac.uk/news/2025/november/ali-asanis-new-publication-living-islam/]

What is the living tradition?

... the living tradition ... it’s something .. done by a large group of people and passed down through generations. For example the Amal of Ahlul Madinah

The ʿAmal of Madinah (Practice of the People of Madinah)

 Ahuhl: translates to "people," "family," or "household."

Amal: Meaning:Hope; Labour, hard work; Pure.

 The ʿAmal of Madinah is The Original Way of the Salaf.

Salaf (Arabic for "predecessors" or "ancestors") refers to the first three generations of Muslims.... the Companions of Prophet Muhammad, 

Sunnah refers to the teachings, sayings, actions, and approvals of Prophet Muhammad.

Is this something that’s used as a source of sunnah?  ... something they use to establish things not found in the Quran,  like how to pray.

Mutawatir (Arabic: متواتر, "successive") is an Islamic term for a highly corroborated transmission of knowledge.

And is the living tradition related to Mutawattir? ... when a practice is mass transmitted such as salat?

Salat (or Salah) is the daily ritual prayer performed by Muslims,

Core Expressions of the Living Tradition

• The Five Pillars: The foundational acts of worship that create a rhythmic connection to God daily, annually, and across a lifetime.
  
  • Shahada: The declaration of faith.
  • Salah: The five daily prayers.
  • Zakat: Charity and almsgiving.
  • Sawm: Fasting during Ramadan.
  • Hajj: The pilgrimage to Mecca.

Ismailis are a branch of Shia Islam who believe in the absolute unity of God and the finality of Prophet Muhammad.  ... the spiritual successors to Prophet Muhammad—who provide ongoing moral guidance and interpret the faith for contemporary times.

[https://www.amazon.com/Islam-Middle-East-Living-Tradition/dp/140511603X]

Mayor Mamdani ... follows the Twelver branch of Shia Islam, the one that forms the basis of Iran’s Islamic Republic.

Is Zohran a product of the Academia’s Iran Lobby

The Joint U.S.-Israel Attacks Against Iran in 2025 and 2026 Have Exposed Some of the Most Egregious Pro-Iran Academics to the General Public

What drives the members of Academia’s Iran lobby is equal parts hatred of Israel and U.S. foreign policy. Throw in a measure of Netanyahu and Trump Derangement Syndrome, and the combination becomes an academic Iran lobby that the regime couldn’t purchase even if it was selling millions of barrels of oil every day.

Most members of academia’s Iran lobby don’t really care about Iran or the Iranian people. Their main concern is the Islamic Republic’s status as the leading state sponsor of terrorism, especially terrorism targeting Israel. If the Islamic Republic falls, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis will likely follow.

The Islamic Republic of Iran provides ideological sustenance to its academic lobby. Without its actual “resistance,” the academic pretend “resistance” would have no role models.

Published originally on May 28, 2026.
[https://www.investigativeproject.org/9451/academia-iran-lobby]

New York City, home to the largest Jewish population in the world ... outside of Israel...  ELECTED this anti Semite. What were they THINKING?

[Where indicated pictures and videos property of Pamela Hall-VSB]

NYPD denies WOL Palis protest access to Grand Central

 For months Within Our Lifetime, an anti-Israel organization that encourages HATE IN YOUR HEART for Israel has used "FLOODING" as their multi-protest meme to promote the destruction of Israel.

WOL’s title for their rallies invoked the name Hamas gave its October 7, 2023 terror attacks, which it called “Al-Aqsa Flood,” referring to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. WOL hosted multiple rallies after October 7 using “Flood” in the title.

Since WOL intended to shut down Grand Central on July 18, 2024, the NYPD closed access to Grand Central to all but travelers.

When he pro-Israel side arrived, the too were sent to the south side of 42nd st

There were animated exchanges between the opposing sides. and LOTS of police.

(MTA Hybrid Threat Unit was a new one to me)

VIDEO. Police were busy dealing with both sides.

The Pro Israel  side Flickr Slidesshow

The anti Israel Flickr Slide Show

What follows is a press release statement from Nerdeen Kiswani

After the bloodiest week in Gaza since October, hundreds of New Yorkers joined Within Our Lifetime to protest and rage for the 186,000+ Palestinian lives murdered by the zionist entity.

As GCT stood still, our movement proved to be adaptable and resilient despite NYPD’s attempts to split our march through kettling, baseless arrests, and surveillance. The people united swerved, evaded the SRG, and took the streets.

We shut down Grand Central before even showing up. The NYPD is so afraid of our mobilization that they have blocked off entrances and established checkpoints at the station. Meet at Pershing Sq on 42nd across from GC and keep flooding New York for Gaza

As usual, the NYPD attempted to repress our movement at every step. Hours before our start time, they blocked entrances to Grand Central Terminal and lined the avenues with hundreds of IOF-trained pigs — effectively halting a major transportation hub out of fear of our movement. [@NerdeenKiswani]

Eventually, Free palestine FLOODED the streets for Gaza as they marched downtown

 

[https://youtu.be/v9Z0i5CXKSM]
@StatusCoupNews

While the palis of Hamas create more victims, like the Killing of Mohammad Bhar : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Mohammad_Bhar

It's up to us to counter the agitprop

The media won't do it.We must not Let them forget.

Since Oct 7th,  the hostages still suffer.
322 Days of torture.

BRING THEM HOME. NOW!

[Where indicated pictures and videos
property of Pamela Hall-VSB]

 

Palis call for annihilation of Israel as NYC Jews Rally Against Hate

 

April 20, 2022 - NYC- Near Israeli Consulate .

Anti-Israel chants of "From the River to the Sea" and "Intifada. Intifada"  show support for "occupied Palestine" at this Emergency Demonstration. 

This followed on the heels of the so-called "attacks" on the "al-Aqsa Mosque" [aka the Temple Mount] . Palis claiming to be the victims ... never the aggressors.

Flick Slide show Part 1 - "Jew haters r permitted 2 protest in the street with NO permit. They r calling 4 intifada=death 2 Jews. And the mayor has the chutzpah 2 say antisemitism isn’t acceptable in NYC! Actions speak louder than words, Adams." (Yad Yamin)

.Flickr Part 2 ( the Palis) “Support Palestinian Resistance and Liberation" by Any Means Necessary. They gathered near the Israeli consulate. The intended location for the protest was across from the consulate (aka the ZIONIST Mission). However, the NYPD appeared to have relocated them further away, in the plaza outside WPIX at 42nd and 2nd ave.

 The rally was led by Nerdeen Kiswani, Within Our Lifetime – United for Palestine and Laila Boutros, Samidoun NY/NJ.

.Video Part 1- Pali demonstrators and Nerdeen Kiswani leading the chanting: "We will Free Palestine Within Our Lifetime" ,"From the river to the sea" and "Intifada. Intifada" , while spewing hatred for the Jewish homeland.

 
.Part 2 video More from anti Semite, Nerdeen Kiswani. The emergency demonstration was organized by Within Our Lifetime – United For Palestine, Samidoun NY/NJ, Palestinian Youth Movement, Existence is Resistance and Decolonize this Place.

"We know why we're here, protesting the killing of countless palestinians ... for over 70 years ... learning about our struggles and injustices... to back to our schools , our work places, our institutions and educate everyone ....to Free palestine From the River to the Sea by ANY Means Necessary."

Part 3 video. The protestors chanted for about an hour, after which their hatred of Israel lead them to the streets of Manhattan. "We don't want a Two State ... ?(We want all of it)?" It is right to rebel. Israel Go To Hell.  Stop the U.S. War Machine. Resistance is Justified when people are occupied. There is only one solution, Intifada Revolution"

The crowd was youthful, with older protestors from familiar Leftist organizations like Veterans for Peace  .... all denouncing the crimes of the "Zionist" State and supporting the resistance of the Palestinians  .... a message also embraced by the shameful Neturei Karta (an anti-Zionist Orthodox Jewish group) .

 
Later, after the "emergency" demonstration  ... to stand with "Palestine" ...  the Palis  took to the streets of mid-town Manhattan.  Hundreds of demonstrators (maybe a couple hundred) marched  a few blocks to 58th and 5th Ave, outside the Plaza Hotel to rant and scream at themselves ... again. Stomping on the Israeli flag as they marched thru the streets:

"A jew tramples the Israeli flag as hundreds of protesters in the US city of New York organized a rally on Thursday to denounce the treatment of Palestinians by the Israeli regime and call for an end to the occupation of their territories."

[https://twitter.com/i/status/1516990106803990528]

."This year’s Land Day builds off the unity built by the Unity Intifada in Spring 2021, as Palestinians continue to resist Zionist attempts to colonize Palestine. Once again, we see the displacement in Sheikh Jarrah, Silwan, and al-Naqab met with massive collective action across all Palestine."

 "THE JEWS ARE THE NAZIS NOW"
(a disgusting slander built on lies and ignorance)

 

 

NEXT Al Quds Day- April 29. Herald Square.

[Pictures and videos where indicated property of Pamela Hall-VSB]

Al Quds Day 2022 & calls for dismantling Israel in Herald Square NYC

 

April 29, 2022 . Al Quds Day 2022. Herald Square. NYC

At 3:30, the protest, hosted by the Muslim Congress and the very hard left Workers World Party, assembled slowly.

Not til about 4 pm was the stage set for the chanting to begin.
(Flickr Slide show)

 

Early on, I was challenged as an alt-right Zionist, to which I responded, "Not alt right but I don't  support wiping Israel off the map. " To which my inquisitor walked away with a large roll of the eyes.

Then, after some long-winded prayers by a young boy, the speakers began.

Nerdeen Kiswani, their very anti-Semitic leader, spoke with her usual animosity for Israel and all things Zionist. (difficulty filming over the crowd. what mattered were her words)

Nerdeen: "Organized by the Muslim Congress on one of the last days of Ramadan", she continues, "... protesting for our palestinian Muslim brothers and sisters back home who are continuously denied the right to worship. Denied the right to live freely. .. as Muslims it is our moral obligation; our duty to fight injustice where ever we see it ... the suffering and the plight of the palestinian people."

"AND WE WILL FREE PALESTINE. WITHIN OUR LIFE TIME. From New York to (? ) palestine GLOBALIZE our INTIFADA."

After the Neturei Karta rabbi spoke, she made the bizarre choice to chant "Judaism, Yes. Zionism, No. The State of Israel MUST GO."

 
The Neturei Karta shamefully allow themselves to be used at these protests, espousing their beliefs that there was never to be a State of Israel. Their presence is offensive, since the 'palestinian' lobby uses them as the "Real Jews".

(Rabbi's video is excerpted) "On this International al Quds Day, cities around the globe are  standing up in public for al Quds. For Jerusalem. For Justice. For Peace.For the legitimate rights of the palestinian people. The Zionists have not been resting. their "occupation" is continuing. Their aggression in full swing, including killing of men, women and children. Killing journalists. Settlement expansion. on going demolitions. The latest aggression on al Aqsa. This is about the whole occupation which we condemn here today. Pro-palestinian activism is not anti-Semitism. For centuries Jews lived in peace and harmony with their Arab neighbors.The State of israel is not a Jewish State. It is a Zionist State. To be against Zionism is no way anti-Semitic. In fact Jewish people and the Jewish religion are against all of this ... rabbis and laymen are opposed to Zionist crimes against the palestinian people and the existence of the State of Israel. We pray for the speedy and peaceful dismantlement of the State of Israel."

 
I couldn't see over the crowd at this location, so after the Neturei Karta spoke, I moved on.

Nothing new to be seen or heard.

[Pictures and videos property of Pamela Hall-VSB]