Hundreds of supporters march and rally for Gaza in Chicago
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By Larry Yellen, FOX 32 News Legal Analyst - bio | email
CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -
Hundreds of Palestinian supporters, marched through the Loop to express their growing anger over what they claim are unprovoked attacks by Israel on Gaza Monday night.
"We ask President Obama to simply stand against what is happening--to oppose the massacre of the children, women and men and innocent civilians of Gaza," Awad Hamdan of the American Muslims for Palestine said. "And to definitely withdraw the military support of Israel immediately."
The protesters, mostly from the Chicago area and Milwaukee, included children, carrying signs to protest the civilian casualties blamed on Israeli missiles. They started at Federal Plaza in the South Loop around 4:30 p.m., then moved toward Michigan Avenue, and over City Hall. Rush hour traffic was briefly disrupted. Mahmoud said he traveled here from Milwaukee for the protest.
"We don't know what to do with all the killing happening in Palestine, especially in Gaza. They're killing kids, they're killing women, they're killing old people," Mahmoud said.
A few blocks away, a spokesperson for the Jewish Federation said that over the last dozen years, ten thousand rockets have been launched from Gaza into southern Israel. He said that unlike Israeli missiles, those rockets are not aimed solely at military targets.
"I think if you drill down, the Israeli version of what peace looks like is a secure Israel living side by side with its neighbors. If you really drill down on the other side, what Hamas wants is the conquest and the destruction of Israel," Aaron Cohen said.
The battle over public opinion in the U.S. continues Tuesday when Jewish groups hold a rally at the Thompson Center, at noon.
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