Pro-Palestinian, Anti-ICE Protesters Gather Along Santa Barbara’s Waterfront on International Day of Peace

About 100 pro-Palestinian and anti-ICE protesters braved the excruciatingly beautiful end-of-summer weather near Santa Barbara’s Stearns Wharf this past Sunday to demonstrate against the slaughter taking place in Gaza. Some passing motorists honked their horns in support; others shouted at them disparagingly. 

“The pain and suffering of people currently living in Gaza is beyond our human comprehension,” stated Bassim Wahhab, a Palestinian American from San Luis Obispo. “On a daily basis, I see videos of children with their arms and legs amputated, many amputated with no anesthesia, children starving to death, children in constant pain and agony.” 

Sunday was the International Day of Peace. Monday marked the first day of Rosh Hashanah — the three-day celebration of the Jewish New Year. Later this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to address the United Nations and then later to meet in the White House with President Donald Trump. 

In the past week, several nations have extended official diplomatic recognition to the nationhood of Palestine. Among them are the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Portugal, Belgium, Australia, Malta, Monaco, and Luxembourg. 

Motivating this action has been the relentless bombardment of Gaza by Netanyahu, who has steadfastly resisted international entreaties for a cease-fire. Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Tel Aviv this past weekend as well, protesting Netanyahu’s “War Without End” as well as his failure to bring the remaining October 7 hostages home. 

In the face of mounting international isolation — this past week, yet another United Nations Commission has concluded that Israel’s conduct qualifies as genocide — the United States under Trump remains Israel’s strongest and most supportive ally.