People's Conference for Palestine

People's Conference for Palestine logo

People's Conference for Palestine was "Funded and Supported by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a Communist-Terrorist Group which is Headquartered in the Syrian Capital of Damascus". The conference was held May 24 - May 26 in Detroit, Michigan.

In the wake of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 dubbed by terrorists as the "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood", numerous organizations with direct ties to designated terror groups Hamas and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine organized conferences and protests in America and around the world.

The People's Conference for Palestine was livestreamed by BreakThrough News.,

About

Verbatim from an Answer Coalition email dated May 22, 2024:

"This moment calls on us to strengthen our relationships, our strategies, our tactics, and our unity for the struggle ahead. We must build a shared assessment of the moment, and chart out the next phase of our struggle. The Palestinian people have been fighting for liberation for over 100 years, and are committed to continuing this fight generation after generation, until victory. Join us as organizations, collectives, movement leaders, community members, students and intellectuals, artists and cultural workers, and activists for a three-day convening to reflect, exchange, and strengthen ourselves and our fight for a free Palestine!

"This landmark conference is being convened by: Palestinian Youth Movement, National Students for Justice in Palestine, The People's Forum, Al-Awda: The Palestine Right to Return Coalition, The U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), ANSWER Coalition, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, International Jewish Anti Zionist Network, Writers Against the War on Gaza, Healthcare Workers for Palestine, Palestinian Feminist Collective, Palestine Popular University, Palestinian American Women's Association, Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC), and National Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression.

"We are in an unprecedented moment in history. As we bear witness to the ongoing and brutal genocide against the Palestinian people, we are also part of building a mass movement that is committed to struggling for Palestinian national liberation. The demands for an end to the genocide, lifting of the siege of Gaza, an end to all US aid for Israel, and a free Palestine echo in the streets, in classrooms and universities, disrupting the halls of government and the daily lives of all genocide-profiteers. The movement for Palestine has never been stronger: but with this strength comes a monumental responsibility.

Rashida Tlaib Appearance

Rashida Tlaib addresses the People's Conference for Palestine.

The Movement for Palestine in North America | People's Conference for Palestine

Rashida Tlaib was a surprise guest speaker. During her speech, she had strong words of criticism for Israel, Joe Biden, and her fellow members of Congress.

Rashida Tlaib did not mention the atrocities committed by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023, including the murder of 1,139 innocent people. As of the time of this conference, 124 hostages remain in captivity by Hamas, including Americans.,

Rashida Tlaib's speech summarized by Grok:

"Rashida Tlaib delivered a critical speech in Detroit, addressing the Israeli government's actions towards Palestinians and the U.S. government's support of Israel. She highlighted the atrocities committed, such as the targeting of children and journalists, and the destruction of the medical system in Gaza. Tlaib expressed her disappointment in President Biden for not taking a stronger stance against the Israeli government, accusing him of being an enabler of war crimes and genocide.

Tlaib also criticized the U.S. government for sending billions of dollars to support the Israeli government, arguing that these funds could be better used to address domestic issues like clean water, housing, and healthcare. She pointed out the hypocrisy of her colleagues who support the funding but are unwilling to publicly condemn the violence against Palestinians.

Tlaib called for divestment from companies involved in the production of weapons used in the conflict, and criticized the crackdown on First Amendment-protected speech on college campuses. She ended her speech by invoking the memory of her grandmother, who she says would have been unapologetic in her demands for justice and peace.

Steering Committee

From the People's Conference for Palestine website:,

• Palestinian Youth Movement
• National Students for Justice in Palestine
• U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN)
• The People's Forum
• Al-Awda, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition
• Palestinian Feminist Collective
• ANSWER Coalition
• US Campaign for Palestinian Rights
• Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC)
• International Jewish Anti Zionist Network
• Writers Against the War on Gaza
• Healthcare Workers for Palestine
• Palestine Popular University
• Palestinian American Women's Association
• National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression

Speakers

From the People's Conference for Palestine website:,

• Abdaljawad Omar, Based In Ramallah, Palestine, Is A Writer, Analyst And Lecturer In The Philosophy And Cultural Studies Department At Birzeit University.
• Abdullah Tafesh Is A Palestinian Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement In The New York City Chapter.
• Aisha Mansour Is A Palestinian-Muslim Grassroots Organizer Who Currently Resides In Oakland, California And Is An Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement
• Ambreen Khan (She/her) Is A Grassroots Community Organizer And Member Of Healthcare Workers for Palestine Salt Lake City Chapter.
• Ariel Koren Is A Jewish Activist With No Tech For Apartheid, And Was A Lead Organizer Fighting Against Project Nimbus And The Irresponsible Use Of Technology For Occupation.
• Asher Firestone (They/he) Is An NYC-based Field Organizer At Jewish Voice for Peace, Where They Support Jewish Leaders Around The Northeast To Build Powerful Anti-Zionist Jewish Organizing For Palestinian Liberation.
• Ashraf Hazayen Is A Philosophy Professor At University Of Rhode Island, A Member Of The Jordanian Philosophy Association, And Political Analyst For Roya, A Jordanian TV Channel, And Regular Contributor In Various Arabic Language Outlets.
• Brandi Alduk Is A NYC Organizer And A Leader In Starbucks Workers United, A Union Representing Over 10,500 Starbucks Workers.
• Brian Becker Is The National Director Of The Answer Coalition And Has Been A Central Organizer In Mobilizing Support Inside The Us For Palestine Over Several Decades.
• Celine Qussiny Has Been A Long-time Organizer For Palestinian Liberation Since College, Where She Was Active With Students For Justice In Palestine At Uc Irvine, To Today, As An Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement.
• Clarence Thomas is a 3rd Generation Member Of The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 10, Now Retired, And Based In San Francisco. As Past Secretary-treasurer And Executive Board Member Of His Local, He Has Led Or Been A Part Of Many Rank-and-file Struggles And Solidarity Actions At The Point Of Production.
• Dania Majid Is The Co-founder And Artistic Director Of The Toronto Palestine Film Festival As Well As The Co-founder And President Of The Arab Canadian Lawyers Association
• Danya Al-Saleh Is A Geographer And Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement Based In Seattle.
• Danyah Mousa Is A Community Organizer And Member Of Southern California’s Palestinian American Women's Association (PAWA). With A Passion For Justice, She Hopes Her Work And Advocacy Will Contribute To The Movement For Palestinian Liberation And The Safeguarding Of Fundamental Human Rights.
• Dawod Al-Taamari
• Dominico Vega "Domz", A Southern California-based Organizer Born In The Philippines, Serves As The Secretary General Of Anakbayan Usa, Mobilizing Filipino Youth And Migrant Workers For Genuine National Liberation In The Philippines.
• Samia Shoman, Ed.d, is A Palestinian-American Educator and Administrator In The San Francisco Bay Area And The Co-coordinator Of The Middle East Children's Alliance Teach Palestine Project.
• Dr. Theresa Montano is a Grassroots Community Activist In The Chicanx Community and a Professor Of Chicana/o Studies With An Emphasis In Education At CSU-Northridge
• Emmaia Gelman Is The Founding Director Of The Institute For The Critical Study Of Zionism, Lecturer At Sarah Lawrence College, Co-chair Of The American Studies Association Caucus On Academic And Community Activism, And A Longtime Activist In New York City
• Eugene Puryear, A Host On Breakthrough News, Is A Journalist, Organizer, And The Author Of Shackled And Chained: Mass Incarceration In Capitalist America.
• Frank Hammer Is A Community Writer, Activist And Photographer And Was A Former President And Chairman Of The United Auto Workers Local 909 In Detroit
• Ghaied Hijaz Is An Advocate For Palestinian Liberation And Uses Her Social Media Platform To Challenge The Dominant Media Narratives In The West About The Palestinian Liberation Movement.
• Professor Ghassan Abu-Sittah Is A British-Palestinian Multi-award-winning Plastic And Reconstructive Surgeon And A Passionate And Active Humanitarian Who Has Worked As A War Surgeon In Numerous Conflict Zones, Including Syria, Yemen, Iraq, South Lebanon, And The Gaza Strip.
• Hana Masri Is A Longtime Researcher, Educator And Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement
• Hannah Priscilla Craig Is An Artist, Designer, Performer And Organizer With Artists Against Apartheid.
• Husayn Karimi Is A Labor Journalist And Co-host Of On The Line, A Media And Education Project That Reports On The Labor Movement In The U.S.
• Huwaida Arraf Is A Palestinian-American Civil/human Rights Attorney, Social Justice Activist, Co-founder Of The International Solidarity Movement, And Leader Of The Free Gaza Movement, Which Organized Sea Voyages To Gaza To Break The Blockade.
• Ibtihal Malley Is A Graduate Student, Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement And Former Member Of Students For Justice In Palestine And Columbia University Apartheid Divest.
• Iman Abid-Thompson Is The Director Of Organizing And Advocacy At The US Campaign for Palestinian Rights And The Regional Director Of The Genesee Valley Chapter Of The NYCLU.
• Jeanine Hourani is A Palestinian Activist, Organizer, Storyteller And Director Of Road To Refuge
• Jehad Abu Salim is A Phd Candidate At NYU And Is The Executive Director Of The Jerusalem Fund For Education and Community Development.
• Jennifer Mogannam Is An Assistant Professor In The Department Of Critical Race And Ethnic Studies At UC Santa Cruz Whose Research Examines 20th And 21st Century Palestinian And Arab Transnational Movements And Third World Solidarities.
• Jersey Noah Is A Journalist, Researcher, Organizer, And Member Of International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network.
• Jesse Strauss Is An Abolitionist And Anti-zionist Jewish Organizer With The International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN) In The Bay Area. He Works As A Journalist At The Country's Longest Running-free Speech Radio Station, KPFA, Where He Co-created The First-ever Daily Abolitionist Radio Program Called Law & Disorder.
• Kaleem Hawa Is An Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement, And Non-fiction Writer Who Focuses On Political Economy And Literary Production In Palestine.
• Kate Gonzales Is An Organizer In New York City And An Editor At 1804books, A Socialist Bookstore And Press At The People's Forum.
• Lara Kiswani Is The Executive Director Of The Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC), A Lecturer At San Francisco State University, An Advisory Board Member Of Critical Resistance.
• Lara Sheehi (She/Her) Is An Assistant Professor Of Clinical Psychology At The Doha Institute For Graduate Studies, Qatar. Her Scholarship Takes Up Decolonial And Anti-oppressive Approaches To Psychoanalysis, With A Focus On Liberation Struggles In The Global South.
• Laura Khoury Is An Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement From Occupied Yafa, Based In Montreal.
• Layan Fuleihan Is A Popular Educator And Organizer, The Education Director Of The People's Forum And An Editor Of 1804 Books In New York City.
• Layla Elabed Is The Daughter Of Palestinian Immigrants And A Grassroots Organizer Serving Southeast Michigan. She Is The Campaign Manager For Listen To Michigan, As Well As A Regional Organizer With We The People In Southeast Michigan.
• Lina Assi Is An Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement From Nablus.
• Loubna Qutami Is A Postdoctoral Research Associate In Palestinian Studies At Brown University And An Assistant Professor At UCLA. Qutami Was A Co-founder Of The Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) And Is A Member Of The Palestinian Feminist Collective (PFC).
• Louis Allday Is A Writer, Historian, And The Founding Editor Of Liberated Texts, A Book Reviewing And Publishing Project That Published The First English Language Translation Of Ghassan Kanafani’s On Zionist Literature In 2022 To Commemorate The Fiftieth Anniversary Of His Assassination.
• Layla is An Investigative Journalist And An Organizer With PYM And Writers Against the War on Gaza.
• Mahmoud Nowara Is A Palestinian Literary Artist, Journalist, And Analyst Of Middle East Affairs Who Has Extensively Covered The Palestinian Refugee Experience Through His Work.
• Manar Shreateh Is A Project Manager And Translator For I Witness Silwan Living In Jerusalem And Is Currently Working As An English Language Teacher In An Elementary School Located In East Jerusalem.
• Mandla J. Radebe Is An Author And Associate Professor In The University of Johannesburg, And Serves As The Chairperson Of The South African Communist Party In Gauteng Province.
• Manolo De Los Santos Is A Founder Of The People's Forum And A Researcher At Tricontinental: Institute For Social Research.
• Mjriam Abu Samra is A Writer, Teacher And Researcher At The Center For Strategic Studies At The University Of Jordan In Amman, Focusing On Palestinian Transnational Student And Youth Politics And Third World Solidarities.
• Mnar Adley Is An Award-winning Journalist And Editor And Is The Founder And Director Of Mintpress News.
• Mohammed Nabulsi Is An Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement From Occupied Jerusalem (Al-quds), Based In Texas.
• Monadel Herzallah, Edd Is A Community Leader And Founder And President Of The Arab American Union Members Council. He Is A Higher Education Professional And Longtime Community Organizer With The U.S. Palestine Community Network And Labor for Palestine.
• Monty Rumbold is A Student Organizer With The Warwick Stands With Palestine Campus Coalition, Who Were The First University In Britain To Establish A Gaza Solidarity Encampment. Monty Facilitates The Coalition Outreach Committee, Who Have Taken The Lead In Bringing Over 50 Student And Staff Organizations Into Its Folds.
• Mustafa Barghouti Is A Physician And Activist, The Secretary General And Co-founder Of The Palestinian National Initiative, A Member Of The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), And Is The President Of The Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees.
• Nadya Tannous is A Writer And Passionate Community Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement And Writer, Born And Raised In The Bay Area, With A Focus On Political Education, Movement Building, And Returning Land To The People And People Returning To The Land.
• Nashwa Bawab Is An Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement, The Assistant Editor At In These Times, And A Writer Whose Work Has Been Published By The Texas Observer, Middle East Eye, The Electronic Intifada, And More.
• Nidaa Lafi Is An Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement And a Former Officer With The Students For Justice In Palestine At UT Dallas. She Works Closely With Students On A National Scale And Is Active In The Dallas Fort-Worth Area.
• Ya'oub (He/they) is a Palestinian Organizer In The Metro-Detroit Area And Former Organizer With Students Allied Freedom and Equality (SAFE) At UMich. They Also Support Student Organizing Work Across Turtle Island.
• Roua Daas Is A Current Organizer With Students For Justice In Palestine At Pennsylvania State University And Former Organizer With SJP At Butler University. She Works Closely With Students On A National Scale.
• Dr. Rabab Abdulhadi Is A Palestinian Scholar, Activist, Educator, Editor, And An Academic Director. She Is The Founding Director And Senior Scholar Of The Arab And Muslim Ethnicities And Diasporas Studies Program At San Francisco State University And Head Of The Oral History Project Teaching Palestine.
• Rafael Jaime Is A Phd Student And Graduate Student Worker In The English Department At UCLA And The President Of UAW 4811, Representing 48,000 Academic Workers In The UC System.
• Raja Abdulhaq Is A Muslim Palestinian Political Activist, Community Organizer, And Researcher. He Co-founded The Palestinian News Agency, Quds News Network, And Was A Former Executive Director Of The Islamic Leadership Council Of New York.
• Rama Kased Is An Established Community Organizer, Writer And Assistant Professor In Race And Resistance Studies At San Francisco State University.
• Randa Tawil Is An Organizer With The Palestinian Feminist Collective And A Scholar Of Women And Gender Studies
• Rasha Mubarak Is A Palestinian-American Muslim Community Activist And Member Of The Palestinian Feminist Collective.
• Reema Ahmad Is A Community Organizer With Experience In Political, Electoral, And Issue-based Campaigns.
• Richard Becker Is A Longtime Anti-war Activist, Organizer In Solidarity With The Palestinian Liberation Struggle, And Author Of Palestine, Israel, and the U.S. Empire.
• Rihab Abu Arqoub Palestinian American Women's Association
• Rhiannon Hamam is A Lawyer, Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement, And Co-host Of The Popular Cradle Podcast.
• Sanaa Moussa Is A Palestinian Vocalist, Composer And Researcher In Palestinian Folk Music Whose Music Is Influenced By The Collective Memory Of The Palestinian People.
• Sara Kershnar Is An Organizer And Co-founder Of The International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (Ijan) Established In 2007.
• Sarah (She/her) Is An Former Organizer With Students For Justice In Palestine At Rutgers University And Now Works To Support Student Organizers Nationally And Across Turtle Island. She's Currently Affiliated With Palestinian Solidarity Organizations In The Boston Area.
• Sarah Abdelshamy Is A Writer, Researcher And Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement, Based In Montreal.
• Sherena Razek Is A Palestinian Feminist Educator, Activist, Scholar, Writer, And Labor Organizer. She Is A Current Phd Candidate At Brown University And Is The President Of Aft/rift Local 6516, The Graduate Labor Organization At Brown University.
• Shireen Al-Adeimi Is An Assistant Professor At Michigan State University And A Leading Advocate Against War And Intervention In The Middle East, Focusing On The United States' Support Of And Participation In The Saudi- And Uae-led Intervention Of Her Native Yemen.
• Taher Al-Dahleh Is A Member Of Communication Workers Of America 1109 And The Palestinian Youth Movement.
• Taher Herzallah Is The Associate Director Of Outreach & Grassroots Organizing For American Muslims for Palestine And Has Been A Long Time Community Organizer And Researcher.
• Tamar Ghabin Is An Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement, New York City Chapter.
• Tara Alami Is A Palestinian Writer And Organizer From Occupied Jerusalem And Occupied Yafa, Based In Montreal.
• Vijay Prashad Is An Indian Historian And Journalist, The Executive Director Of The Tricontinental Institute For Social Research, Chief Correspondent For Globetrotter, And Chief Editor Of Leftword Books (New Delhi).
• Voulette Hattar Is A Jordanian-born Writer And Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement And UC Berkley’s Students For Justice In Palestine.
• Wafaa Hasan Is A Community Activist, Author And And Assistant Professor At University Of Toronto - St. George Where Her Academic Research Focuses On Decolonial, Transnational Feminist Studies.
• Wisam Rafeedie Is A Former Palestinian Political Prisoner, Full-time Researcher And Lecturer At The Department Of Social Sciences At Bethlehem University – Palestine, And Is The Author Of The Trinity Of Fundamentals.
• Yajaira Cuapio Is An Educator And Organizer With United Educators Of San Francisco (UESF) And Has Been A Social Worker In The San Francisco Unified School District (San Francisco Unified School District|SFUSD) For Over 9 Years.
• Yara Shoufani Is A Phd Student At York University And An Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement.
• Yumna Patel Is The Palestine News Director For Mondoweiss News Source.
• Zena Lemad is An Organizer With The Palestinian Youth Movement.
• Zayna Elkarra Is A Youth Leader With The Arab Resource and Organizing Center And A Co-founder Of Bay Youth 4 Palestine.
• Ziad Abbas Is A Palestinian Refugee From Dheisheh Refugee Camp In The West Bank. He Is The Cofounder Of The Ibdaa Cultural Center In Dheisheh Where He Served As Co-director From 1994 To 2008. Ziad Is The Associate Director Of The Middle East Children’s Alliance In Berkeley.
• Zoe Alexandra Is A Journalist And The Editor Of The People's Dispatch