Protests broke out across the United States as President Donald Trump mulls over the possibility of the US joining the Iran-Israel war.
Los Angeles, already riddled with protests over Trump's immigration crackdown, gathered once again to protest the possibility of the US joining another war in the Middle East. Protesters carrying “hands off Iran" signs marched the streets as they raised concerns over the possibility of US armed forces being involved in the conflict.
Israel's military action against Iranian nuclear facilities has escalated into a violent exchange of missiles and armaments, with both nations threatening to wipe out each other.
While Trump initially denied any role in Israel’s offensives, he has not ruled out the possibility of the US actively engaging in the war, leaving the public in the lurch. “Nobody knows what I’m going to do,” he said.
The possibility of such an involvement has already been controversial in the American political landscape, with Congress calling any involvement illegal. Conservative commentators such as Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon are establishing their stance against military involvement.
Similar protests were reported across San Jose, New York City, and Milwaukee.
Notably, the Jewish diaspora in the United States has also gathered to protest Israel’s unprovoked strikes in Iran and oppose any US involvement in the conflict.
President of the New Jewish Narrative, Hadar Susskind, was one of many rabbinical leaders who refused to sign a joint statement with the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organisations (CoP), which endorsed Trump’s actions and Israel’s offensives.
Susskind further stated that, “We disagree with much of what was included. Where we do agree is that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons. But a military strike can, at best, delay that. And more likely, it will only build support for hardliners in Iran. Diplomacy, not bombs, is what has proven successful.”
The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Ryabkov, also discouraged US military involvement, stating that it “would radically destabilise the entire situation.”
