Mall Rally Opposes Israeli Occupation

Ian Lye 

The visage of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat stared down from a sea of placards, Palestinian flags and keffiyehs as several hundred protestors gathered on the West Lawn of the Capitol on Sunday at a rally sponsored by the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and United for Peace and Justice.

According to organizers, this was the largest-ever national demonstration in Washington against the Israeli occupation.

The rally, which featured speakers such as the head of the Palestine Liberation Organization mission to the United States, Afif Safieh, and Rabbi Jeremy Milgrom of Clergy for Peace, was staged to mark the 40th anniversary of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.

The mood of the protestors was generally festive as families lounged on the grass to listen to the speeches and enjoy a hip-hop performance onstage.

“It’s injustice what they’re doing to the Palestinians, and nobody is doing anything,” said 11-year-old Omar Ahmad.

While many who attended the rally were of Arab descent, there were also many other protestors of varying ethnicities, including some Jews who turned up to show their solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

One of them was 25-year-old Eli, who did not give his last name. He sported a sticker on the back of his shirt that read, “Another Jew Against the Israeli Occupation.”

“We’re just here to give a Jewish voice for peace,” he said.

A counter-demonstration drew several dozen pro-Israel demonstrators who stood across the road from the rally and waved Israeli flags and signs, prompting several tense stand-offs and verbal exchanges between the rival sets of supporters.

“This is America, and everyone has a right to their opinion,” said college student Jonahthan Benedek, a pro-Israel supporter. “They have a right to be here, and I hope they respect that I have a right as well to be out here.”

Benedek, who said he spent a year living in Israel, said he felt that the protestors were portraying Israel unfairly.

“Everybody hopes for peace,” said Benedek. “The question is whether Hamas will be willing to accept peace with the state of Israel. That’s why peace is impossible with the Palestinians.”

“We’re pro-Israel, we’re not anti-anything, like they are,” said student Nora Stark. “We have a God-given right to the land. We value peace, and we value life.”

“Israel has the right to defend itself against suicide bombers,” said her friend, Lerone Beroukhim. “The Palestinian government right now, Hamas, is a terrorist organization, and they come into our country with their suicide bombings. I have family in Israel who is affected by the bombings.”

After the rally, the anti-occupation protestors marched from the Capitol to the Ellipse near the White House. The opposing protestors taunted them, causing tensions to escalate.

A line of riot police kept both camps separated for part of the route. However, supporters from the two camps nearly came to blows on several occasions, only for any potential altercation to be swiftly defused by the watchful marshals shepherding the crowd along.

A spokesman for the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, Samir Moukaddam, said he considered the rally a success despite the frayed tempers.

“They tried to engage our emotions, but we did our best to avoid being sucked in by their methods and their anger,” said Moukaddam. “We showed our diversity and raised our voices against the support that our government gives the Israeli occupation.”

“Our biggest message is to influence U.S. policy and specifically end the support of the Israeli occupation of Palestine,” he added. “Forty years is more than enough, and it’s time to end it.”