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Southeastern Michigan is home to around 300,000 people with
roots in the Arab world, the result of more than a century of
immigration.
Since Monday, over 430 Palestinians have died since the Israeli
air onslaught against Gaza's Islamic Hamas rulers. According to
Israel, most of the dead were members of Hamas security forces
but the United Nations says at least 64 civilians have been
killed.
These numbers compare to four (4) Israelis having been killed by
Palestinian rockets.
Israel
launched the offensive on Dec. 27, 2008, in response to rocket
fire by Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli offensive came shortly after a rocky, six-month
truce expired. Hamas has fired hundreds of rockets and mortars
at Israel before and during the Israeli offensive.
Many in Dearborn said they marched to show solidarity with the
Palestinians under siege and to protest U.S. support for the
Jewish state.
Monir Nasralah
of Dearborn said he marched to protest ``the aggression and the
use of excessive force'' by Israel in Gaza.
``These are nothing but terrorist acts,'' said the 43-year-old
autoworker.
One group of protesters carried a mock coffin decorated with
pictures of dead and injured Arab children and labeled ``U.S.
Tax Dollars at Work'' and ``Victims of Zionism.''
``It's good to see the whole world turn out'' to protest Israeli
actions, said 20-year-old Trent Carl of Houston, who was
visiting friends in the area and acted as a pallbearer for the
PVC-pipe-and-cardboard coffin.
Some marchers chanted, ``Gaza, Gaza don't cry, Palestine will
never die'' and ``Israel is a terrorist state.''
Others chanted, in Arabic, ``God is Great'' and ``a martyr is
beloved of God.'' At one point, a homemade Israeli flag lay
crumbled on the sidewalk as some marchers stomped on its torn
pieces.
One protester carried a sign saying, ``Dearborn, take your shoes
off!'' a reference to the action of an Iraqi protester who threw
shoes at George W. Bush during the president's recent visit to
Iraq.
The protest was organized by the Congress of Arab American
Organizations. Group spokesman Osama Siblani, who is
also publisher of the Arab-American News, said it was the first
in a series of actions being planned to respond to the Gaza
fighting. A candlelight vigil was also held Jan. 2, 2009 in
Dearborn.
``There is disappointment and anger in our community and we need
to express it toward the current U.S. administration that has
given a blank check to the Israelis,'' Siblani said.
About 50 people gathered Tuesday on the University of
Michigan-Flint campus to protest the Israeli attacks, The
Flint Journal reported. ``When you see injustice you have to
stand against it, no matter where it is,'' said Abed Khirfan
of Flushing, who said his daughter attends UM-Flint.
In Dearborn, 21-year-old Mohammed Cherri said he marched
hoping to help change U.S. policy that arms the Israeli
military.
But even if U.S. policy doesn't change anytime soon, the
Dearborn man said he hopes Palestinians in Gaza will know he and
others stand with them.
``If we can't support them with any other means, then we will
support them with our voices, with our stance out here in the
cold,'' Cherri said.
About 200 people gathered in Toledo on Jan. 2, 2009, protesting
the actions of Israel and its assault on the Gaza Strip.
Rico de La Prensa contributed to this report. |
