Group protests Gaza unrest at Oklahoma state Capitol
Demonstrators at state Capitol want state, national leaders to press Israel for cease-fire
BY MICHAEL MCNUTT
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Published: January 6, 2009
America should take immediate steps to end Israel’s "illegal and immoral” offensive against the Gaza Strip’s Hamas rulers, the executive director of the Oklahoma City chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said Monday.
Malaka Elyazgi of Norman carries the American flag as she marches Monday outside the state Capitol to protest Israel’s military offensive against Gaza Strip’s Hamas rulers. BY JIM BECKEL, THE OKLAHOMAN
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"We as Oklahomans and as Americans should be concerned about this conflict because our taxes are going towards Israel,”
Razi Hashmi said. "We should not allow our government to give Israel a blank check to allow the destruction of hopes for peace in the
Middle East.”
More than 200 mostly Islamic Americans demonstrated peacefully Monday outside the state Capitol asking state and national leaders to press Israel for a cease-fire.
People walked in a circle during the noon hour by the south steps of the Capitol holding signs and chanting "Stop the killing, free, free Gaza!” and "Free, free
Palestine; occupation is a crime!”
Michael Barlow, past president of the
Jewish Federation of Greater Oklahoma City, watched quietly.
"War is unfortunate, but the question is: What is Israel to do, with scores of missiles being shot into Israeli population centers daily?” he said. "How long do you allow missiles to be shot into your country from another country?”
Hamas, whose charter specifically calls for the destruction of the state of Israel, is listed as a terrorist organization by the
United States. Hashmi said as an American citizen he agrees with the U.S. description of Hamas.
Barlow said it is difficult for Israel to negotiate with Hamas leaders when they do not recognize its right to exist.
At least one Jewish member participated in Monday’s demonstration.
Jillian Holzbauer of
Stillwater carried a sign saying, "This Jew supports peace in Palestine.”
Holzbauer, a student at
Oklahoma State University, said she spent the past three summers in the
West Bank working with Holy Land Trust, a Palestinian nonprofit group.
"I saw that this isn’t really a religious issue, this is an issue about people who are living under military occupation for 40 years and they’re in a very desperate situation,” she said. The
Rev. Kristen Brown, a United Methodist minister assigned to the campus of
Southwest Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, said she attended the event to bring awareness about the Palestinians’ plight.
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If Israel would quit depriving the Palestinians of food, medical aid, electricity and DIGNITY, perhaps Hamas would not lob rockets across the border.
I don't care which religion they claim to follow. I do care that they continue to kill indiscriminately and "experts" like yourself continue to excuse it while condemning Israel for defending itself. You seem to think that you are the ones who are able to determine injustice and no one else. Until you have the intelligence to weigh all of the factors your arguments have no credibility and neither do you. Israel should continue to destroy their capability to do harm to anyone else and then maybe Hamas will negotiate for peace.
One more comment the word "Islamic American" as I read in the script above does not exit. why the author of the article does not use the phrase American Muslim? It is like saying "Christianic American".
One more comment the word "Islamic American" as I read in the script above does not exit. why the author of the article does not use the phrase American Muslim? It is like saying "Christianic American".
It is also despicable that the news reporters should focus on religion. None of you have mentioned that many Palestinians are Christians, which should remove your source of hatred towards them.
By the way, there is no such thing as an Islamic American. Many Palestinians are Christians.
One more comment the word "Islamic American" as I read in the script above does not exit. why the author of the article does not use the phrase American Muslim? It is like saying "Christianic American".
The difference between the arguments you tried to present and mine is that I am very well educated in my area of expertise. You can only defend your beliefs by attacking me.