E-mail Story
Print Friendly
Send E-mail
Reprint story
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Offensive in Gaza Sparks Protests
By Lloyd Jojola
Journal Staff Writer
The Albuquerque City Council president and state Rep. Antonio Maestas were among hundreds who gathered Saturday during a national day of protest against the Israeli offensive in Gaza.
A much smaller counter demonstration — likely smaller because it fell on the Jewish Sabbath — also formed nearby.
"I think we must insist on fairness and an end to military assistance to Israel as long as this oppression and genocide continue," City Councilor Isaac Benton said to the estimated crowd of 300, as he reminded listeners that Hamas is a democratically elected government.
Maestas and Benton were two of several speakers.
While holding an Israeli flag in front of marchers, Russ Resnik of Albuquerque said people wrongly believe Israel is unilaterally instigating oppression and violence.
"People don't generally recognize that Hamas completely denies Israel's right to exist — period," Resnik said. "And a lot of what they do just flows out of a commitment to see Israel destroyed. So we're supporting Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state, its right to defend itself."
The larger crowd marched from Old Town Plaza to the area beside the Museum of Natural History and Science, home of the Lockheed Martin Dynatheater. The site was chosen, organizers said, because Lockheed Martin builds the F-16 jets being used in the Israeli airstrikes.
"I think people are overlooking the fact that the Palestinians are a people living under occupation, and they have been since 1948," said Lori Rudolph, a protest organizer who recently returned from the West Bank. "Most of the people that live in Gaza are refugees."
"We need to intervene and demand that our government call for an immediate cease-fire, unconditional cease-fire," she said. "We're witnessing a humanitarian disaster right now.
"This looks like Israel is being the people who are killing innocent people," said Sylvia Sherman, one of the counter demonstrators that numbered about a dozen initially. "If Hamas would just stop sending those rockets into Israel, the Israelis wouldn't be in Gaza. It's that simple."
You also can send comments via our comment form
|
|
