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Nanjeanne

(5,442 posts) Thu Jan 18, 2024, 04:12 PM Jan 2024

Protesters March in Tel Aviv, Demanding a Cease-fire in Gaza

Thousands took part in the protest originally cancelled by police. Speaking to the crowd, Heli Mishael of the Standing Together organization, said, 'After 100 days of war, the hostages have not returned, innocent Palestinians are being killed, and we still don't have security… there is another way'

On Thursday night, some 30 Israeli civil society groups, led by Standing Together and Women Wage Peace, led a protest in Tel Aviv against the ongoing war in Gaza. According to organizers, citing the police, over 2,000 people took part in the protest.
The protest was initially scheduled for last week, but police did not give the organizers approval to hold it. Nadav Shofet, an activist from Standing Together, said public pressure was responsible for approval of the event.

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Protesters marched through the city, holding signs reading, "cease-fire now," "only peace will bring security" and "peace from the river to the sea." They chanted, "there will be no security here until there is peace," "Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies," "Not Ben-Gvir, not Hamas, we're sick of extremists," "end the occupation" in Arabic and calls of "Now!" which are ubiquitous at rallies to return the hostages.

Heli Mishael of Standing Together, addressed the crowd: "After 100 days of war, the hostages have not returned, innocent Palestinians are being killed, and we still don't have security… there is another way. We know that when we start marching in the direction of peace, we know that many Israelis and Palestinians will join us."

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A resident of Kibbutz Be'eri, Neta Peleg, said, "I survived the horror, too many people didn't. I am angry at the State of Israel who cheated us, abandoned us … It's time to stand up and demand [a deal], so that there will be no more deaths. We need to go to the Knesset and demand they bring back the hostages while they're still alive. To end the war and get rid of this government."

Sondos Saleh, former MK and member of the Ta'al party, also criticized the Israeli government. Before October 7 she said she had been optimistic about "a chance to build a real, strong united left of Arabs and Jews." Now, she said, "I turn to the Jews who ask, why haven't the Gazans overthrown Hamas? I ask, how have Israelis, which have a much stronger society, not overthrown their government?"
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