NEW YORK / PNN /

Thousands of Palestinian and Arab nationals, as well as international solidarity activists, took to the streets yesterday in several major cities across the United States, in protest against the Israeli attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.

The protesters also denounced the silence of the U.S. administration over on the Israeli atrocities committed against the Palestinian people.

Mass rallies were held in New York, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Ohio, Texas, California and Minnesota under the banner #HandsOffAlAqsa, demanding the occupation Israeli authorities to stop the aggression on Al-Aqsa Mosque. The protesters also called for the freedom of Palestine and for the Palestinian people to be able to enjoy international protection against the occupation government's racist practices.

Addressing protesters in Chicago, Osama Nasser, a spokesman for the Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine, called on the international community to move away from the policy of double standards and to press the occupying regime to stop war its crimes against the Palestinian people. He also urged sanctions against the Israeli occupation for its racist practices.

Maher Abdel Qader, an activist and member of the Palestinian American Council, told WAFA, "Having thousands of the Palestinian community go out to the streets is a natural case for what they must do in defending Palestinian rights and exposing Israel’s practices, especially in holy places. Israeli fascists are trying to consolidate their control over the Holy City [of Jerusalem] with these racist crimes."

"All members of the community are working day and night to convey the voice of our people to the decision-makers in Washington by all means. We need to stop what is happening in Palestine, beginning with the freezing of U.S. military aid to the occupying regime and ending with Israel’s international isolation," he added.