Gaza protesters rally in front of Israeli ambassador’s Washington DC residence

Thousands of protesters across the United States demonstrated in solidarity with the people of Gaza on Tuesday, including at the residence of the Israeli Ambassador in Washington, DC.

Protesters gathered outside the official residence of Michael Herzog waving Palestinian flags and banners reading "Free Palestine" and "End all US funding of Israeli Apartheid", as well as chanting slogans like "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free".

Herzog was appointed as envoy to Washington in 2021 and is the older brother of Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

Last year, he was summoned to the US State Department following concerns over a new settlement law that Palestinians have condemned.

The ambassador was questioned by the deputy secretary of state hours after the Israeli Knesset moved forward with a draft law that could see once abandoned illegal settlements in the West Bank being reoccupied.

Marches against Israel's war on Gaza have regularly occurred worldwide since 7 October. In this time, over 31,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza and over 72,000 injured.  

Washington DC saw the "largest pro-Palestine march in US history" last year, where for one day, Palestinian flags outnumbered American flags on Pennsylvania Avenue as tens of thousands of demonstrators descended on the US capital.

In cities across the US on Monday evening, vigils were held to honor the life of Aaron Bushnell, who died after lighting himself on fire the previous day in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington DC in an act of protest against the US government's support for Israel's… pic.twitter.com/FWAMGhosaS

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) February 27, 2024

The New Arab reported that the ceasefire movement has continued to grow around the world since the war began, with a diverse array of voices — from politicians to protest groups — committed to ending Israel's devastating war on the Palestinian enclave. 

A congressional resolution calling for a ceasefire at the beginning of the war on Gaza garnered around 12 signatures. Now, more than 60 members of the House and Senate publicly support a ceasefire.   

A poll by Reuters/Ipsos found that around 68 percent of the American public support a ceasefire. Broken down by political party, this amounts to 75 percent of registered Democrats and 50 percent of Republicans.