Standing in a chilly sea breeze, hundreds of American expatriate demonstrators gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv to protest what they described as President Trump’s slights against women and minorities.
Demonstrators were careful to keep the focus local, though, singing Hebrew prayers for peace, protesting Trump’s promise to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, and holding up signs critical of the new president’s emerging bromance with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“The question is what we in Israel can do as an act of resistance against Trump,’’ said Larry Derfner, a left-wing blogger and columnist. “I would say that any act of protest, of getting in people’s faces, against the Netanyahu administration and the occupation is by direct extension an act of resistance.”
Derfner also slammed Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Israel, real estate lawyer David Friedman, for referring to the liberal American Jewish political advocacy group J-Street as “kapos.”
“We have to organize a boycott of him,’’ said Derfner, an Israeli American.
Speakers called on the crowd to express solidarity with Palestinians in Israel and in the West Bank who have had homes demolished by Israeli authorities.
Evan Kent, a 56-year-old Jerusalem resident and former cantor at Temple Isaiah in West Los Angeles, said he made the trip to Tel Aviv to support demonstrators in the U.S. and around the world. He said he was disturbed that Trump’s victory is emboldening Israel’s right-wing government.
“The right wing in Israel has formed an alliance with Trump, thinking he’s giving them an imprimatur to be more right-wing, it’s a little disconcerting,’’ he said. “Trump’s personality indicates he will only do what’s best for him, and not what’s best for Israel. The people who think he’s best for Israel are sadly delusional.’’