Chants of “Free Palestine” resounded through the parking lot of Streb Construction in Iowa City as protesters gathered outside U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, fourth annual fundraising tailgate Saturday, demanding a shift in U.S. policy towards Israel and justice for Palestinians.
A group of 20, organized by Iowans for Palestine, assembled outside the event at 10:30 a.m., holding Palestinian flags and posters condemning Israel’s tactics in Gaza, to urge Miller-Meeks and her supporters to reconsider America’s role.
Three protesters were planted inside the event, each rising periodically to interrupt speakers and call for a ceasefire. Quickly escorted out of the event, the protesters were talked over by the speakers and largely ignored by the crowd.
Iowans for Palestine organizer Newman Abuissa said he hopes today’s protest will send a powerful message to Miller-Meeks and encourage community action.
“We are representing the moral authority of Americans here, trying to encourage all Americans to contact their elected officials and let them know that what is going on in Gaza is not in our name, is not acceptable, and we have other needs for our tax money in this country,” Abuissa said.
Miller-Meeks has remained a staunch supporter of Israel since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. Last week, Miller-Meeks joined a congressional delegation led by U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, on a visit to Israel, where they met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reaffirm U.S. support for Israel and discuss efforts to dismantle Hamas and secure the release of American hostages.
Additionally, Rep. Miller-Meeks helped introduce the Maximizing Israel-U.S. Research Advancement and Collaborative Leadership in Emerging Medical Technology, or MIRACLE, Act to enhance collaboration between the United States and Israel on health care technologies.
“At a time when Israel is under attack, it is critical that potential medical breakthroughs are not stifled,” Rep. Miller-Meeks said in a May 29 press release.
In a June 18 op-ed, Miller-Meeks criticized the wave of pro-Palestine protests on college campuses as, “thinly veiled acts of anti-Semitism.”
“We know that [Miller-Meeks] is supporting a right-wing government in Israel,” Abuissa said. “We are against that position and we want the future generation to know that people were against this genocide even though our government has not done that yet.”
Anas Saleh, a UI student of Palestinian descent, also criticized the actions of Israel which forced his family to flee their ancestral home in the 1950s.
“My grandfather is older than the state of Israel and he can’t return to his home village,” Saleh said. “My story is the same story, sadly, for millions of Palestinians. We’ve been kicked out.”
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Saleh also emphasized the harm inflicted by the Israeli Defense Force, both on Palestinian people who have not been displaced, as well as Americans in the region. He indicated the killing of Aysenur Eygi, an American woman shot in the head by an IDF sniper while protesting in the West Bank yesterday, as the most recent example.
“We are asking for U.S. lawmakers to pressure Israel to end the genocide, to end the apartheid, to end the occupation,” Saleh said. “They took a stand when there was an apartheid in South Africa. Why is it that Palestinian blood is not an issue?”
Community member and former Johnson County delegate Ginny Paulson emphasized America’s responsibility in the human rights crisis in Gaza and the West Bank and urged elected officials to represent the will of their voters.
“Our taxpayer dollars are funding this. We are morally responsible,” Paulson said. “We’re losing sleep at night hearing of the horrors that poor innocent people are facing in Palestine. So, we’re doing something because we want to be heard by the people who are making the decisions.”
Paulson referenced a Gallup poll from March which found 55 percent of Americans disapprove of Israel’s actions.
Miller-Meeks’ Chief of Staff Tyler Menzler declined to provide comment for this story.
The protest concluded before noon, as participants took their message to Kinnick Stadium, hoping to continue raising awareness during the Cy-Hawk football game.
Roxy Ekberg contributed to this report