On Monday, May 31, anti-Zionist Jews took to the streets of Manhattan to protest against grave desecration in Ashkelon and Jaffa. Police estimated that about 45,000 people attended the demonstration, held in front of the Israeli Consulate at 800 2nd Avenue. Speakers included the Mishkenos Haro’im Rebbe from Jerusalem, who himself had taken part in the protests there; Rabbi Yaakov Weiss, rosh yeshiva of the Pupa community of Monsey; Rabbi Alter Kaufman; Rabbi Yaakov Chanan; Rabbi Yechezkel Roth, dayan of Karlsburg; Rabbi Hillel Handler, and Rabbi Aryeh Leib Glancz.

The huge demonstration was a clear statement to the world that Zionists do not speak for all Jews.

A giant video screen was set up, 40 feet wide and 32 feet high, on which scenes of the grave desecrations and police beating protestors were shown. As the speakers spoke mostly in Yiddish, words on the screen explained the Orthodox Jewish position on Zionism in English: that ever since the destruction of the Temple 2000 years ago, Jews have been in exile by Divine decree and were forbidden from re-establishing themselves as a nation until the coming of the messiah.

Click here to see pictures and videos of the protest.

Here is another video of the protest.

A complete video of the video shown at the event.

Rabbi Hillel Handler spoke in English and said as follows: "We have come here today onto the streets of NY to show our solidarity with our suffering brethren in the Holy Land, to demand that Bibi and Barak stop the beating, stop the torture of our brothers whose hearts are bleeding at the site of the massive desecration of these gravesites of our holy sages.

"Today in the U.S. is Memorial Day, and we honor the brave soldiers to whom we owe our freedoms. But suppose that some developer, who gave a large political contribution to the campaign of Barack Obama, had the chutzpah to propose that he would like to build a large residential building project at Arlington National Cemetery over the graves of our brave soldiers. What would the result be? There would be an explosion, a national outrage, and millions of people would depend on Washington to demand that this be stopped immediately. Well, such a proposal has indeed been made and accepted by Barak. Not our Barack in America, but the Israeli Barak, Ehud Barak and his partner Benjamin Netanyahu. The Electra Development Corporation is proceeding with a building development in Jaffa near Tel Aviv, and is destroying the ancient graves of our sages in the city of Jaffa in order to build the housing development.

"In the lunatic, irrational world of Bibi and Barak, everything is upside down. In a land that is holy to the world's three major religions, Bibi and Barak have announced that this week is gay pride week, and former Labor minister Tzipi Livni will march in the gay pride parade in Tel Aviv together with her friend, minister Limor Livnat. While our American government agonizes over the question of Don't Ask Don't Tell, Barney Frank has held up the Israeli army as a shining example of a military where the rule is 'do ask and do tell.' Is this what our holy nation is all about? Is this how we are a light unto the nations?

"Under the leftist secular dictatorship of Israel, the only way to protect the ancient graves from desecration is by non-stop demonstrations at the gravesites. This we have done and will continue to do, at great personal risk to life and limb. The brutal Israeli police have orders from Bibi and Barak to stop the demonstrations by whatever means necessary, and this they have done with zeal and enthusiasm. Distinguished Torah scholars are beaten and imprisoned, denied kosher food, in an attempt to break their spirit.

"BIBI NETANYAHU! EHUD BARAK! LET OUR SAGES REST IN PEACE!"

Rabbi Aryeh Leib Glancz said, "In the name of the tens of thousands of peaceful demonstrators, we would like to send a message for the police department in the State of "Israel": Look what democracy is all about! Look at the police department in the City of New York.

"On behalf of the close to 45,000 people, we would like to thank the honorable police commissioner Raymond Kelley and his entire staff, especially Detective Adam Barish and the honorable chief of the department, Chief Joseph Estadira, the commanding officer of the 17th precinct; Deputy Inspector Pat Bernstein, Detective Debra Winski from the 17th precinct community affairs, and Sergeant Blanco - all the fellows who made this event possible. May G-d bless them and their families, and let the people of the State of "Israel" learn what democracy is all about!"