Greater than 7,000 miles away from Gaza and Israel, feelings ran excessive on Sunday afternoon within the Bay Space as native residents took half in pro-Palestine and Jewish demonstrations because the Israel-Hamas conflict entered its ninth day.
The demise toll continues to climb with Israel saying greater than 1,300 have been killed from bombings by Hamas, whereas the well being ministry in Gaza stated greater than 2,600 have been killed by Israeli air strikes.
Within the South Bay, a whole lot of pro-Palestinian protesters lined the intersection of Stevens Creek and Winchester boulevards in San Jose, waving the flag of Palestine as vehicles passing by honked their horns. The throngs of demonstrators then proceeded to march by way of the primary thoroughfare of Santana Row, shutting down visitors as they chanted “free, free Palestine” and held indicators inscribed with phrases like “finish U.S. funding to Israel apartheid” and “let Gaza dwell.”
Dr. Yusra Hussain of San Jose was among the many a whole lot standing in solidarity with Palestine on Sunday afternoon. She stated she feels the USA is being “complicit in supporting a regime that’s an apartheid that’s committing genocide proper now on people who find themselves fully trapped.”
“I’m a doctor,” she stated. “My tax {dollars}, the cash that I work onerous for that I give to the federal government to offer crucial items for our nation are being despatched to Israel to help their apartheid, their genocide, their unbelievable actions in Gaza and Palestine. This has to cease. There must be a diplomatic resolution.”
On the Peninsula, over 100 college students at Stanford College positioned blue ribbons round campus to commemorate the lives misplaced throughout Hamas’ assault final week and refocus the dialog on the Israelis who’ve been kidnapped.
Rabbi Jessica Kirschner, the chief director of Hillel at Stanford, stated college students moved ahead with the demonstration partly as a result of they felt that the campus group appeared to be ignoring the tragedy or have been “actively sympathetic to Hamas.”
“There was a whole lot of chalking and banners advocating a pro-Hamas perspective, which made our Jewish college students really feel actually unsafe,” Kirschner stated. “This was conceived as an effort to maintain folks’s focus the place it belongs.”
Based on Kirschner, college students positioned the blue ribbons in seen places round campus, similar to White Plaza. After per week spent mourning, it was the primary main motion taken by the group. For a lot of, the assaults have been deeply private. Kirschner stated many college students had pals or relations who have been kidnapped, knew individuals who have been being referred to as up into reserve obligation, or have been being referred to as up themselves.
“One of these tragedy has huge implications together with right here,” Kirschner stated. “This felt like a significant first step to do one thing peaceable, and ideally retains the main focus in a very necessary place — the folks whose destiny can get misplaced in these geopolitical questions.”
