Hundreds gathered near Railroad Park Sunday to voice their support for Palestine in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.According to the organizing group, “Arabama,” Sunday afternoon’s event was a response following attacks upon the Palestinians in Gaza. The group believes the attack by Israel is on a people who have been oppressed and held hostage in their own land for decades.One local protester, Nadia Awwad, originally from Palestine, participated in the march with her daughters. “We’re here to bring awareness,” Awwad said. “It just seems like everybody has taken a blind eye to everything that’s been going on. And it’s definitely not something that started happening Saturday. This has actually been an ongoing thing for over 75 years.”Signage held during the march read, “End all USA aid to Israel.”However, to the only Jewish member of the Alabama House of Representatives, that is not the answer. “It’s (Israel) is not just a country, it’s not just a land,” Rep. Phillip Ensler from Montgomery said. “It’s supposed to be a place where we feel safe no matter what.”Ensler also leads the Jewish Federation of Central Alabama. He says bomb threats were recently made against Jewish congregations in Birmingham. “It has been traumatizing and horrific for Jewish people in Alabama,” Ensler said. Ensler believes it is important for the federal and state governments to stand up for Jewish people in Israel and Alabama. “We can all feel for and recognize that there is innocent human suffering on both sides,” Ensler said. “But for Israel as a sovereign state, if there was a terrorist attack against them, as there was, they have every right to then respond to that terrorist organization and regime in the Gaza Strip.”Protesters also hoped to get a message to lawmakers. “I’m Palestinian I live here I pay my taxes here. What are you guys doing to stop the genocide?” Awwad said. “A lot of Arab Americans are really, really struggling with their identity right now, just because we’re so upset, with what our government is doing, and the lack of work that they’re doing to help stop it (the war).”Ensler warns hate is being stirred up on social media. “Because it’s such a complex situation, it can’t be boiled down to one tweet or two a quick social media posts,” Ensler said. “I mean, this is thousands of years of history.”He fears this will lead to political division. “It’s okay to have different views on the politics and the policies,” Ensler said. “But I just hope that we don’t turn this into kind of the typical Democrat, Republican, factions of trying to criticize each other.”
Hundreds gathered near Railroad Park Sunday to voice their support for Palestine in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
According to the organizing group, “Arabama,” Sunday afternoon’s event was a response following attacks upon the Palestinians in Gaza. The group believes the attack by Israel is on a people who have been oppressed and held hostage in their own land for decades.
One local protester, Nadia Awwad, originally from Palestine, participated in the march with her daughters.
“We’re here to bring awareness,” Awwad said. “It just seems like everybody has taken a blind eye to everything that’s been going on. And it’s definitely not something that started happening Saturday. This has actually been an ongoing thing for over 75 years.”
Signage held during the march read, “End all USA aid to Israel.”
However, to the only Jewish member of the Alabama House of Representatives, that is not the answer.
“It’s (Israel) is not just a country, it’s not just a land,” Rep. Phillip Ensler from Montgomery said. “It’s supposed to be a place where we feel safe no matter what.”
Ensler also leads the Jewish Federation of Central Alabama. He says bomb threats were recently made against Jewish congregations in Birmingham.
“It has been traumatizing and horrific for Jewish people in Alabama,” Ensler said.
Ensler believes it is important for the federal and state governments to stand up for Jewish people in Israel and Alabama.
“We can all feel for and recognize that there is innocent human suffering on both sides,” Ensler said. “But for Israel as a sovereign state, if there was a terrorist attack against them, as there was, they have every right to then respond to that terrorist organization and regime in the Gaza Strip.”
Protesters also hoped to get a message to lawmakers.
“I’m Palestinian I live here I pay my taxes here. What are you guys doing to stop the genocide?” Awwad said. “A lot of Arab Americans are really, really struggling with their identity right now, just because we’re so upset, with what our government is doing, and the lack of work that they’re doing to help stop it (the war).”
Ensler warns hate is being stirred up on social media.
“Because it’s such a complex situation, it can’t be boiled down to one tweet or two a quick social media posts,” Ensler said. “I mean, this is thousands of years of history.”
He fears this will lead to political division.
“It’s okay to have different views on the politics and the policies,” Ensler said. “But I just hope that we don’t turn this into kind of the typical Democrat, Republican, factions of trying to criticize each other.”
