Muslims, Christians protest bombardment of Lebanon
Escalating violence in Mideast decried
During the protest at City Hall Plaza, demonstrators gathered in rows facing eastward to pray to God. Assam Omeish, president of the Muslim american Society, led the prayer. (Globe Staff Photo / Barry Chin)
By James Vaznis, Globe Staff | July 22, 2006
Hundreds of people, including Muslims and Christians, turned out for a rally yesterday afternoon at Boston City Hall Plaza to protest Israel's bombing of Lebanon and the treatment of Palestinians.
Participants carried signs such as ``Free All Palestinian and Lebanese Political Prisoners," ``End the Israeli Occupation," and ``Stop Aid and Weapons." At times during the nearly three-hour rally, which included a prayer service and was sponsored by the Muslim American Society, they chanted ``Free, Free Palestine," and then ``Free, Free Lebanon." A police officer at the scene estimated the crowd at 2 p.m. to be 500.
Around 1:30 p.m., hundreds gathered in tidy eastward-facing rows of about 50 people each, to pray to God. Most kneeled on prayer rugs. Others improvised with newspapers. Some took off their shoes. Usually, at that time of the week, they would have gathered in a mosque. Assam Omeish, president of the Muslim American Society, led the prayer.
Caline Jarudi, executive director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee of Massachusetts, said that holding the rally was a big step among Muslims, who often are apprehensive about publicly vocalizing their views because they can face discrimination. ``The rally was about justice and hopefully there is no consequence," she said.
During the rally, many thought of loved ones in Lebanon or the disputed territories in Israel.
Fawzi Kronfol, 22, of Brighton, tries to talk with his parents in his native Lebanon every day, but because of the persistent bombing by Israelis, he can't get through. So he calls other family members to see if they've heard anything about his parents.
``I can't go to sleep unless I know they are OK," Kronfol said. ``Every day I hear about civilian deaths, and some day I'm afraid it will be someone I know."
Others charged that Israel's attack on Lebanon is an overreaction to the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah.
``The sheer power Israel is using to respond to Hezbollah by taking two hostages, in my view, is not justified," said Amine Sabbagh, 42, of Newton, who emigrated from Lebanon 25 years ago. ``I characterize this as war crimes."
Mohamad and Imman Hamie of Taunton held a sign showing pictures of injured children in Lebanon and corpses of others.
``It's unjustifiable," said Mohamad Hamie, 50, an owner of a gas station who moved here from Lebanon 27 years ago. ``Nobody should have to be murdered."
Lawrence Lowenthal, executive director of the Greater Boston chapter of the American Jewish Committee, said Hezbollah is entrenched in the civilian population in southern Lebanon, using houses and apartment buildings from which to launch rockets against Israel. Civilian losses are an unfortunate consequence, said Lowenthal, who returned from Israel yesterday, where he met with top leaders.
``My feeling is I understand emotions of the Muslims who demonstrated, but when you understand the root causes of the current conflict, I don't understand what alternative Israel has," said Lowenthal in a telephone interview. ``Hezbollah is holding Israel hostage."
But many at City Hall Plaza yesterday believed the bombings were unfair to Lebanon, which has struggled for more than a decade to recover from a civil war.
``Lebanon is being completely destroyed," said Camil Saade, 46, a real estate agent from Salem, N.H., who emigrated from Lebanon almost 27 years ago. ``The economy is going down the drain. Innocent people are being killed, and that's a shame. As a Christian, I can't wish death on anyone."
Meanwhile, the American Federation of Teachers, at its biennial conference in Boston yesterday, issued a resolution that criticized state-sponsored terrorism in the Middle East and kidnappings and cross-border attacks by Hezbollah against Israel. It also condemned Syria and Iran for supplying terrorist groups with arms. The teachers called for the disarmament of Hezbollah and its withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
``It was really a fight, because some people were like, `Why choose sides?' and this resolution does choose a side," said Jamie Horwitz, a spokesman for the federation.
Globe correspondent Elizabeth Ratto contributed to this report.
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