Posted on 10/16/2023 6:51:38 AM PDT by Red Badger
GREENSBORO — Hundreds of demonstrators carrying signs and waving Palestinian flags lined a busy stretch of Wendover Avenue on Friday as conflict continues in the Middle East.
The chants of “No peace on stolen land” almost drowned out the sounds of passing cars on one of the city’s busiest roads.
“What we’ve seen this week is an everyday reality for the Palestinian people,” said Maitha Ali, one of the event’s organizers and of Palestinian descent, as the crowd swelled to about 400.
A number of motorists honked and waved in support of the protesters, who were situated within a mile of one of the area’s mosques.
The Greensboro gathering coincided with others across the world as Israel ramped up its response to a multi-pronged attack a week ago, with bombardments of Gaza City in the occupied Palestinian territory. Thousands of lives have been claimed during the brutal conflict — specific numbers are hard to come by — as the two sides and thousands more have been injured.
“The loss of lives will always be tragic,” Ali said. “It’s undeniably tragic.”
Of those lining the streets was a child just a few years old holding a sign that read: “Israel is killing children like me.”
Along the sidewalk, standing with a “Hands off sacred land” sign was Mohamad, a UNCG college student from Bali in West Africa.
“I’ve gone back and read a lot about the history of what’s happened and when something bad happens to the Palestinians, nobody talks about it,” Mohamad said. “But when something happens to Israel, everyone wants to talk about it. I hope for peace.”
The pain is evident on both sides.
Hamas, which has been designated as a terrorist group by the United States, rules Gaza — but the Palestinian people are often caught in the middle. They speak of the more than 700,000 Palestinians expelled from what they considered their home in East Jerusaslem during the late 1940s.
At times, the crowd yelled “Palestine will be free from the river to the sea!”
“That means everyone living in peace,” said a woman with a keffiyeh, a traditional square scarf worn in the Middle East, around her neck. She asked not to use her name, but said her parents had to leave their homes in 1948, when they were removed from land Israel now claims.
“Every night we were afraid to go to sleep,” the woman said of the bombing they could hear in their beds as children. “We need to be heard.”
Another woman named Dua stood with her three boys, who held signs with pictures of babies in diapers standing in front of bombing in the distance.
“My wife is from Gaza and she already lost two cousins,” said Yousef Mustafa, who drove from his home in the Cary area to attend the rally. A bitter memory, he recalled that his family was forced off their land in Jerusalem when he was five.
“My father-in-law built a mosque (in Gaza) — they destroyed it with people inside praying,” Mustafa said. “That’s what made me come here.”
In the hours preceding the event, there was some concern that Friday’s demonstration might turn violent if pro-Israeli sympathizers were to show. But that didn’t happen. Two hours later, as the sun set under a clear, blue sky, the protest ended without incident.
Demonstrators left. Wendover remained its normal, bustling self.
And a war continued to be waged a world away.
For those of you who are interested, it’s North Carolina.
Pretty ironic that Muslims in America are complaining about Jews in the Middle East.
Time for the Greensboro Branch of Hamass to go home. They can be heard there. Don’t bring that crap here. Your problems are not America’s problems.
We heard you on 9/11, so STFU!
Run....
Them.....
Down.
Thank you.
Thousands of Jews from around the world are heading to Israel to defend their country and people. Why are these Pali cowards protesting from the safety of Greenville NC when they could be making their way to defend their precious Palestine ???
We heard you on 9/11 and again last week...
In North Carolina? The hadjis are protesting? That is beyond sickening. They really breed like rats don’t they!!!! Yeah, I
know, how can you say that? Well I’m saying it.
Keep talking, muzzies. We’re listening, and taking notes.
In North Carolina? The terrorist supporters are protesting? . They really breed like rats don’t they!!!! Yeah, I
know, how can you say that? Well I’m saying it.
Should they really ‘feel that much about that issue’, why t.f. do they not ‘go home and fight for ‘your land’, since ‘they care so much’?
(p.s. i.d.g.a.f.!)
There is no room in civilization for ANYONE who cheers murdering civilians. They have to be ejected from civilized countries or exterminated.
There is no system of laws in the world that endorses murder by civilians to seize disputed land ownership.
The truth is it is NOT about land at all. These savages just delight in killing Jews and Christians. They would keep doing it even if they were handed a deed to disputed land.
No peace on stolen land you say. Then get off of the land stolen from Christians and Jews when Islam started.
Know Peace; No Islam.
Know Islam, No Peace.
If that woman’s family left their home in East Jerusalem in ‘48 they weren’t running from Israel. Israel took East Jerusalem in ‘67. They must have been running from the Bedouins of Transjordan.
you need to be heard about as much as Nazi’s need to be heard.
They need to STHU. Oh and go protest in Gaza.
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