The things Mark Patinkin heard – and didn't hear – at the Pro-Palestinian rally outside Textron

There was a rally for Palestine on Friday in downtown Providence, and I learned things I hadn’t realized.

For example, the Oct. 7 massacre of 1,200 Israelis never happened.

At least it seemed that way, because not one of the 10 or so speakers – or scores of placards – mentioned it.

If you went to the rally without having read the news lately, you’d think that Israel randomly invaded Gaza for no reason except that Jews are genocidal settler-colonial monsters.

Hamas? The jihadists hiding below civilians? And still firing rockets at Tel Aviv? Righteous resistance.

The protest was called by RISD’s Students for Justice in Palestine and held outside the downtown headquarters of Textron, which they accused of profiting from the war. The crowd demanded that RISD divest from the company. And also stop “complicity” with “Zionism” and “genocide.”

That was a big theme at the rally, labeling Israel as colonial invaders of “indigenous” Palestinians, even though Jews settled the land, um, more than 3,000 years ago. But no mention of that.

It was an energetic crowd, with constant chants for “ceasefire now.”

I agree that’s a worthy goal – if Israel gets something in return. But no one at the rally seemed to think it should. Those 240 or so hostages in Gaza, including babies? No mention of them.

First of all – who kidnaps babies?

Second, again, I agree a ceasefire would be welcome – it’s dreadful to see thousands of innocents killed in Gaza.

But Hamas could have gotten a pause at any point if it returned hostages.

How come no pro-Palestinian rally ever – ever – calls for that?

One young woman speaker said she was a Canadian student of Palestinian background at Rhode Island College. She added that she’s glad she’s not a citizen here, because we’re funding the enemy of her people.

“F--- America,” she said from the podium.

That got a big round of applause.

Another speaker said not to trust mainstream news organizations, adding, “We know who they’re owned by.”

Got it. The Jews run the media. Of course.

“From the river to the sea,” everyone chanted, though one woman speaker insisted it was not a call for wiping out Israel. A few seconds later, the same woman – I’m not kidding – said, “I call for the end of the settler colonial state of Israel.”

Um – OK.

Then an older Muslim gentleman was introduced as having been born in “Jerusalem, Palestine,” but long a resident of Rhode Island. He was an impressive speaker, thoughtful and full of passion.

But then he began to chant, “Israel must go.”

The crowd, which for 45 minutes had condemned “genocide” and “ethnic cleansing,” joined in, apparently not seeing the irony.

In the news: Three RI Israel-Hamas-related events garner attention, and Mark Patinkin has some thoughts

At another point, a speaker said she was from the Palestinian Feminist Collective. As such, you might think she’d have condemned rape as a weapon of war.

Remember the video of Hamas butchers sitting and spitting on the naked body of murdered Shani Louk, the 23-year-old German-Israeli attacked at the music festival? Or the video of Naama Levy, 19, manhandled into a vehicle by Hamas thugs, hands bound behind her, bleeding between her legs?

Not a word from this feminist speaker about that, or the other rapes proudly GoPro’d by Hamas killers. By the way, U.S. and U.N. women’s groups have also been called out for silence on Hamas attacking women and girls. I guess they feel it’s OK to rape Israelis.

I can understand those at the rally being furious at Israel for civilian deaths in Gaza. But why aren’t they also angry at Hamas for starting the war with the Oct. 7 bloodbath?

Interestingly, I’ve seen many videos of civilians in Gaza blaming Hamas before nearby jihadists shut them up. But I guess kids from the comfort of places like RISD, who don’t have to pay the price for Hamas’s actions, love praising them.

More Patinkin: His niece murdered, her son shielded beneath her body: A family's final moments in Israel

News stories are now saying a temporary ceasefire, in exchange for some of the hostages, could be close.

You know how to make that ceasefire permanent?

By Hamas coming out of the tunnels and laying down their arms.

What would they get out of that?

The path to a Palestinian state.

Which they’ll never achieve with rockets, Kalashnikovs and pogroms.

Hamas has the power to start down that more promising path by agreeing to disarm tomorrow.

Don’t hold your breath for them to do it.

Or any pro-Palestinian rally to call for it.

mpatinki@providencejournal.com

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Protesters at Pro-Palestine rally outside Textron miss facts: Patinkin