By Anadolu Agency
May 22, 2024 2:37 pmBy Iclal Turan
WASHINGTON (AA) – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was interrupted by pro-Palestinian demonstrators Wednesday as he delivered testimony before a House of Representatives committee on the agency’s budget request.
“Free Palestine to free us all. All liberation struggles are connected,” one protestor shouted as Blinken addressed lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee.
“You should be arresting Blinken, not me,” the protester yelled as he was removed from the chamber by Capitol Police.
Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart said in response to protestors: “We will not have disturbances in this committee.”
Later, Blinken was asked by Democrat Rep. Lois Frankel about whether there are “organized efforts” to fund pro-Palestine protests to create conflict in the US.
Blinken responded that people are motivated by the “plight of little children, women, men in Gaza” and the humanitarian crisis that they are experiencing is “gut-wrenching.”
“I not only understand it, we’re working to do something about it,” he added.
Blinken’s testimony Tuesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was also repeatedly disrupted by pro-Palestinian protestors, with one shouting: “Blinken, you will be remembered as the butcher of Gaza.”
The protests come as Israel’s war is well into its seventh month amid relentless bombardments that have led to wide-scale devastation and mass displacement throughout Gaza.
More than 35,600 Palestinians have been killed, the vast majority of whom have been women and children, and nearly 79,900 others injured since the onslaught began in October following a Hamas-led cross-border attack on Israel. Less than 1,200 people were killed Oct. 7, and hundreds were taken to Gaza as hostages.
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