What pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian protestors think Large, throbbing crowds have been assembling at protests all around the world since October 7, waving signs and chanting to express their roiling anger, fear, and frustration over the continuous hostilities between Israel and Hamas and the casualties that have resulted from them.
In order to better understand why thousands of people have attended marches and what those in attendance aim to accomplish, CNN spoke with a few participants at recent pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protests.
Protesters who support the Palestinian cause: Elizabeth Oram, a 70-year-old adjunct lecturer and nurse, hoisted a Palestinian flag while her short blonde hair fell over the top of a white KN95 mask at a pro-Palestinian protest last Friday night in New York City’s Columbus Circle. According to this longtime supporter of Palestinian rights, she has seen the situation in the occupied Palestinian area go from “very bad to absolutely barbaric.”
I’m a spry 70 years old. “I want to tell my grandchildren that I did not stand by and that I did not remain silent during this genocide,” said the woman. That’s the point I’d like to drive home.
Sami, a 20-year-old French student studying in London and studying abroad in New York, stumbled upon the demonstration. He said he felt compelled to stay and watch after seeing online images of the destruction in Gaza.
I’ve seen the photos and videos, and it’s horrible,” he said. Every day, without fail, I see this on Twitter and Instagram. These atrocities stare me in the face every day. I feel terrible about what is happening there and want the genocide and killing to stop.Protesters demanded a truce in Israel’s military campaign, denounced Israel’s treatment of the Palestinian people, and challenged American officials to stop supporting Israel. They also accused Israel of genocide and apartheid.
Israeli-supporting protestors: Sara Blau, a University of Maryland student, wore a T-shirt featuring the face of Omer Neutra, a high school classmate who was abducted by Hamas on October 7 and is reportedly being kept captive, at the March for Israel on Tuesday in Washington, DC.
Blau expressed a desire to participate in the march as a way for me to support Israel. As a loyal Jew and Zionist, I came to this place to help my community.
A married couple from New Jersey named Michal and Noam Sheps claimed they had come to support Israel and the hostages.
We all support one another as a single nation, and we want the hostages to be freed. It’s quite significant,” Michal remarked. Our goals are peace, the hostages’ safety, and the safety of those within Israel.
A number of the pro-Israel protesters expressed worries about their own safety as Jews in America. They insisted that the more than 200 prisoners that Hamas had captured on October 7 be released right now.
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