Protest outside US synagogue event selling 'Palestinian land' mischaracterised as antisemitic

A pro-Palestinian demonstration outside a synagogue in Los Angeles was "wrongly characterised" by media outlets and some political figures, including President Joe Biden, as "antisemitic", a US anti-war group has said.

Many activist groups also contested the portrayals, stating that the protest did not interfere with any Jewish services and that Adas Torah synagogue was being used for a controversial event which was selling real estate in Israel as well as the occupied West Bank.

In a statement sent to The New Arab, the US anti-war group Code Pink said: "No religious services were scheduled at the time of the real estate sale and the counter-protest. Contrary to what the media is falsely reporting, the entrance was never blocked by anyone."

Both the US president and the mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, characterised the protest as "antisemitic" in posts on X, with Biden saying he was "appalled" by the protests and that "intimidating Jewish congregants is dangerous, unconscionable, antisemitic and un-American” and Bass saying that "Los Angeles will not be a harbour for antisemitism and violence" and warning that "those responsible for either will be found and held accountable".

Code Pink said: "It is outrageous that President Biden and certain media outlets have misrepresented this protest as an anti-Semitic attack on worshippers," adding that the entrance to the synagogue was never blocked.

The group also said that pro-Israel counter-protesters attacked the pro-Palestinian protesters and stole their phones while police did nothing.

The synagogue was hosting a sale of Palestinian land. Every single elected official in Los Angeles commenting on this is being so disingenuous, it’s disgusting. https://t.co/dIWTWwV7aY pic.twitter.com/PidUtNK748

— People's City Council - Los Angeles (@PplsCityCouncil) June 24, 2024

The event was organised by the 'My Home in Israel' real estate group and was advertised as selling "housing projects in the best Anglo neighbourhoods in Israel".

'My Home in Israel' not only sells houses within Israel’s 1948 borders but also in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The real estate group has organised previous events at synagogues in New Jersey and Toronto in Canada.

The events were condemned as "sacrilegious" by rights groups and Jewish activists.

The People’s City Council of Los Angeles, a left-wing group took aim at official condemnation of the pro-Palestine protests, saying in a post on X: "The synagogue was hosting a sale of Palestinian land. Every single elected official in Los Angeles commenting on this is being so disingenuous, it's disgusting."

The US has seen a wave of pro-Palestinian protests recently, particularly at college campuses, amid Israel’s indiscriminate war on Gaza which has killed over 37,600 Palestinians - most of whom were women and children.