Hundreds protest JNF Conference in Dallas, accusing organization of funding Gaza violence
DALLAS – Hundreds of people gathered around the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas on Saturday to protest a pro-Israel conference held by the Jewish National Fund (JNF).
"We are here shutting down the JNF," said Tala Ahmed, one of the protest's organizers.
The demonstration followed a previous protest held on Thursday, where around 20 people blocked Market Center Blvd. in Dallas and "planted" a tree in the middle of the road. Dallas police arrested 10 people.
What is the Jewish National Fund
According to its website, the JNF is a Zionist organization that works to ensure a strong and prosperous future for Israel. However, pro-Palestinian supporters who gathered on Saturday said the JNF is funding Israel's killing of civilians in Gaza.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, at least 43,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel began its war on Hamas following the Oct. 7 attacks last year.
"The Jewish National Fund directly contributes to the genocide that we're seeing in Gaza right now, the genocide that we've been seeing for the past year," said Tori Ramirez, an organizer for the Party for Socialism and Liberation, a communist political party in the U.S.
"This conference has praised the bombardment in Gaza, and they've made it very clear that they intend to continue the ethnic cleansing of Gaza," said Sumayyah Hasan of the Palestinian Youth Movement, a pro-Palestinian organization with chapters in North America and Europe.
But a representative of the JNF said that's not true.
"I'll be honest with you, we do not fund the Israeli military, and we're not involved with any type of funding like that. We're really here to protect the land and the people of Israel," said Ellie Adelman, Jewish National Fund-USA's Dallas Director. "We want to bring hope to the people that have been evacuated. We want to bring all of our hostages home."
To ensure there were no clashes between protesters and conference attendees, there was a heavy police presence around the hotel, and Dallas police blocked traffic to allow protesters to march safely. While their focus this weekend was on the JNF, pro-Palestine demonstrators say their ultimate goal is to push for an end to the war in Gaza.
"While the JNF is an active contributor, we can't not recognize that the United States, our tax dollars, are actively going to bombs," said Ramirez.
On Oct. 13, the U.S. threatened to cut off some U.S. military assistance to Israel if Israel did not increase humanitarian aid to Gaza within 30 days, but that deadline has passed. Protesters said they will continue to protest until the war is over.