Thousands rally in Tel Aviv for and against Israel's Gaza op

[laststeamtrain]

Source: Haaretz

Thousands rally in Tel Aviv for and against Israel's Gaza op
By Noa Kosharek and Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondents


Thousands of people demonstrated in Tel Aviv for and against Israel's eight-day-old military campaign in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, with police forces struggling to separate the opposing camps.

No clashes have been reported.

"Barak, Barak, Defense Minister, how many children have you murdered today?" yelled out protesters while waving Palestinians flags. "Stop the bombing, stop the killing," others called out at Tel Aviv's Rabin Square.

On the other side of the square, the supporters of the Gaza raids called out "Let the IDF win and bring back Shalit," referring to Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit who was kidnapped by Gaza militants in 2006.

Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1052326.html

[Hope And Change]

1. K & R!

[peacetalksforall]

2. I knew there were peace lovers in Israel - thank you folks for shouting out!

Love you!

[totodeinhere]

3. Of course there are peace lovers in Israel.

They are the ones who want Hamas to stop firing rockets at innocent civilians.

[IndianaGreen]

7. The peace lovers want the Occupation to end

It is the cruel 41 year occupation that has led us to what we got today.

[Eryemil]

9. What exactly do you mean by occupation?

As far as I know Israel has not occupied Gaza. Not yet anyways, though if it weren't for the potential loss of troops it'd probably be a good idea.

[IndianaGreen]

12. Israel's 18-month blockade. Gazans not having their sovereignty

with no army of their own to defend themselves. Gaza is Israel's version of apartheid South Africa Soweto.

[Duckhunter935]

4. Both sides can protest in Israel

Just like the ones that are protesting for peace in Gaza, Thats right they are being rounded up and shot and placed under house arrest

[classysassy]

5. Our

guns are used to silence protest,when will the American public wise up?.We are being used.

[Duckhunter935]

6. They are

Dont seem to be stopping the Israeli protests. The palestinians can protest all they want just do not fire morters/rockets at civilians

[High Plains]

8. And live in a prison camp for a few more decades?

No justice, no peace.

Good for the Israeli peaceniks, shame on you Likudniks.

[Eryemil]

10. What do you want Israel to do about it?

If I were Israeli at my age (19) it would mean that Israel would have been my country of birth. Should all the Jews go back to being being tiny minorities all over the world when they have their own country?

I know I wouldn't, I'd fight to my last breath.

[iandhr]

11. It has been the policy of every...

government in Israel since its founding to bring their dead soldiers home. Lebanon two years ago started when Hizballah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers.

On the subject of this Gaza business I have mixed feelings about this raid. Hammas is firing rockets in to southern Israel and the Israeli citizens who live in those border towns have a right to live and go to work without those rockets. On the other hand I feel sorry for those who live in Gaza. Anytime there is a operation like this civilians regrettably will die because as a CNN interviewer asked a (Israeli) army Major "how will you be able to tell the difference between Hammas and civilians" because in urban war fare as the United States learned (I hope) that sometimes you can't tell the civilians and the terrorists apart until is to late. I also wonder weather this raid is in Israel's best interest, although Hammas is a group that said Israel does not have a right to exist and weakening them so they can not carry out Rocket attacks is good for there interests. However I remember what happened in Lebanon where Hizballah was stronger at the end of the Israeli campaign and I am worried that might happen again.

This peace of land as been fought over for 5000 years why does anyone think that it will stop now.

[IndianaGreen]

13. Saturday, January 10. National March on Washington. LET GAZA LIVE!

LET GAZA LIVE!
Stop the U.S./Israeli War
Against the Palestinian People

National March on Washington
Saturday, January 10
Assemble at the White House (north side) at 1:00 PM

Sponsoring organizations: ANSWER Coalition, Muslim American Society Freedom, Free Palestine Alliance, American Muslim Task Force, National Council of Arab Americans, Al-Awda - International Palestine Right to Return Coalition, and hundreds of others

Flyer for the DC demonstration (click on the link to view a PDF that you can print and reproduce)

There will be coinciding West Coast demonstrations in San Francisco (11 am at Civic Center) , Los Angeles (12 noon at Westwood Federal Building), San Diego (details TBA) and elsewhere.

Calendar of Emergency Demonstrations Taking Place This Week

Statements from the Free Palestine Alliance

The Free Palestine Alliance, a member group of the ANSWER Coalition National Steering Committee, has been writing daily statements about the Gaza Strip Massacre. These are important statements of political orientation from the Palestinian-American community. Click here to read the statements issued by the Free Palestine Alliance.

A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
http://www.answercoalition.org/