Roughly 100 pro-Palestine demonstrators gathered outside the home of Intercontinental Real Estate CEO Peter Palandjian on Saturday to protest his company’s leasing agreement with Elbit Systems of America, a subsidiary of an Israel-based defense contractor.
BDS Boston, the pro-Palestine organization, orchestrated the rally. For approximately 30 minutes, protestors congregated outside Peter Palandjian’s house, distributing flyers labeling him a “genocide profiteer” and urging him to evict Elbit Systems of America from their Cambridge location.
Peter Palandjian is related to Tracy P. Palandjian, a member of the Harvard Corporation, through marriage. Tracy P. Palandjian is the sister-in-law of Peter and is married to Leon A. Palandjian, who holds the position of chief risk officer at Intercontinental Real Estate.
Representatives for Peter Palandjian, Intercontinental Real Estate, and Elbit Systems were contacted for comment on Saturday but did not provide an immediate response.
Elbit Systems of America is the US-based subsidiary of Elbit Systems, an Israeli company that is a significant provider of land-based equipment and drones to the Israel Defense Forces. Elbit Systems of America established an office in Central Square in December 2021, which has been the focal point of ongoing protests, including one as recent as Wednesday.
While protests have occurred at Elbit Systems’ Cambridge office, Saturday’s demonstration marked the first time Peter Palandjian’s private residence was targeted. It appeared the house was unoccupied during the protest.
The demonstration commenced at 1 p.m. in Harvard Square. Participants chanted slogans such as “Elbit out of Cambridge now,” “Long live the intifada,” and “Say it loud and say it clear, Elbit is not welcome here.”
Protestors displayed signs with messages including “Shame on the Elbit War Machine” and “Elbit Drones Kill Babies,” highlighting their accusations against Elbit Systems and Peter Palandjian’s company’s involvement with them.
The group, escorted by Cambridge Police, marched roughly a mile eastward to Peter Palandjian’s home. Upon arrival, they attached flyers to trees and light posts in the vicinity, which led to a brief confrontation with local residents from the neighborhood.
During the demonstration, protestors used Palestinian flags to obstruct a neighborhood observer from recording the protest, indicating tensions with those perceived as opposing their cause.
Upon reaching Peter Palandjian’s residence, an organizer using a loudspeaker declared, “Your heartbreak and your anger is needed right now. You need to come with me to the doorstep of this genocide profiteer,” directing the emotional intensity of the protest towards Palandjian.
Another organizer commented via loudspeaker on the intended impact of the disruption on local residents, stating, “You know they’re gonna get mad at the Palandjians eventually, even if they’re mad at us,” suggesting an aim to pressure Peter Palandjian through community discomfort.
The protestors also directed chants towards the Cambridge City Police officers present, chanting, “Justice for Faisal.” This chant referenced the police killing of Sayed Faisal in January 2023, broadening the scope of their protest to include local issues of police conduct.
As the demonstration neared its conclusion, protestors chanted a clear ultimatum: “Evict Elbit now, or we’ll be back and we’ll be loud.” Following this, they began to move back towards Harvard Square, signaling the end of the direct action at Peter Palandjian’s home but suggesting future actions if their demands concerning Elbit Systems are not met by Peter Palandjian and Intercontinental Real Estate.
