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| Protestors at Levitt Pavillion demand a solution for fighting in Gaza |
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| Written by Jason Joyce, Contributor to The Shorthorn | ||||
| Monday, 19 January 2009 08:06 PM | ||||
 Tarrant County College freshman Yousuf Hamdan protests the bloodshed resulting from the Israeli–Palestinian conflict during a rally near the Levitt Pavilion on Friday afternoon. Israel declared a unilateral cease-fire in Gaza on Saturday. (The Shorthorn: Stephanie Goddard) More than 150 people braved the cold and filled the lawn in front of Levitt Pavilion on Friday afternoon to rally for a cease-fire between Israeli and Palestinian fighters. Since the rally, some of what those in attendance asked for has been achieved. According to media reports, Israel declared a unilateral cease-fire in Gaza on Sunday morning. Israel’s declaration was followed by a statement from Hamas leadership pledging an end to hostilities to allow Israeli Defense Forces time to withdraw from the Gaza Strip. Jamal Qaddura, president of the DFW Islamic Education Center in Arlington and one of the rally organizers, stressed the importance of U.S. citizens calling for the government to urge a cease-fire. “We need to step up to the plate as a country and urge our government to encourage a cease-fire,” he said. “We cannot be allies with a country that is committing violations of the Geneva Conventions.” Qaddura was quick to point out that the rally wasn’t anti-Israeli, but more about ending the destruction and harm caused by the ongoing conflict. “We’re equally sympathetic toward the Israeli civilians who are being injured,” he said. “All we’re asking is to stop this bloody war.” Lon Burnam, director of the Dallas Peace Center and a Texas state representative, joined other speakers in his call for the U.S. to urge an end to violence, expressing his disapproval over Israel’s actions throughout the conflict. “If any government has matched the atrocities of the U.S. government in recent days, it’s Israel,” Burnam said. Other speakers at the rally expressed similar sentiments and called on the U.S. government to provide financial support and humanitarian aid to Palestine. Still others called for the government to help Palestinians rebuild war-torn buildings and reconstruct destroyed mosques. Not all who showed up for the rally were convinced that Israel was in the wrong. Erin Maxfield, biochemistry junior, and David Maxfield, chemistry and biology junior, came out to stage a counter-rally to support Israel’s battle against Hamas forces in Gaza. “Israel has a right to fight,” David Maxfield said. “Anyone supporting Hamas is supporting terrorism.” The Maxfield’s main concern was making sure anyone who stumbled across the rally heard both sides of the argument. “We were really concerned that a group was protesting this close to UT Arlington,” Erin Maxfield said. “We wanted to make sure the other side was represented.” Views: 1303 | E-mail
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 07 April 2009 08:10 PM ) | ||||
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