Members of the Arab Student Association and Muslim Student Association held an impromptu rally Wednesday outside the University Center.
The rally was an apparent response to the Jewish Student Union’s activities celebrating the Israeli Day of Independence.
Members of the ASA and MSA who were rallying said the action was necessary in order for students to hear both points of view regarding the violence between Palestine and Israel.
“Today, the Israeli students are celebrating their country, which is the country Palestinians are being kicked out of,” said Mohsen Abu-Khudeir, a member of the ASA who participated in the protest along with several other Arab supporters holding signs and wearing shirts which read “Free Palestine.”
Members of the JSU and RiverPAC, a pro-Israeli student group, were expressing the need for greater communication and for American support of Israel.
“It’s absolutely fundamental that American Jews and Americans in general stand in solidarity with Israel at this time,” said Elena Garner, president of the Jewish Student Union. “Since Sept. 11, we, as Americans, have been fighting the same fight Israelis have been fighting for the last 54 years. We are fighting the fight against terrorism.”
Representatives from both groups said they were interested in greater communication with one another.
“As far as communication goes, we don’t have much with the JSU. But we wouldn’t mind working together in peace,” Abu-Khudeir said. “I don’t have any problem with having more communication between us.”
Garner agreed that there is a strong need for more communication and believes that both sides have much in common, which she hopes will aid in bringing about extended dialogue between them.
“The president of the Muslim Student Association and I actually have a pretty tight relationship. We both know that we have different political differences, needless to say. But on a general level we know that everybody’s goal is the same — for people to stop dying,” Garner said.
The JSU is urging for continued support and stronger solidarity between the United States and Israel.
“We must stand in solidarity against terrorism. What’s different this year is that Israel needs our support now, more than ever before,” Garner said.
However, the ASA maintains that America should cease its funding of Israel, which Abu-Khudeir said is a terrorist-supporting country.
“America should stop funding Israel because Israel is a terrorist state. If the United States shares the same views as Israel, then the United States is terrorist, too,” Abu-Khudeir said.
Abu-Khudeir also said he feels he is indirectly supporting Israeli efforts against his home country of Palestine.
“As an American, I ask, ‘Where is my tax money going?’ I am part of the crime because I am paying taxes and my tax money is going to Israel to kill Palestinian children,” Abu-Khudeir said.
Another one of the pro-Palestine sign carriers was Eboni Leake, who is a member of the Muslim Student Association.
Leake said she was rallying to inform students about the events in the Middle East that she feels the media doesn’t show.
“I am just here to help raise awareness, to let students know about things happening across the world which they don’t know about,” Leake said. “People are being oppressed and people are being murdered. Americans don’t know half of what is going on. They just believe what they see on the news.”
Anna Johnson, liaison for RiverPAC, said the JSU and RiverPAC’s cultural education should not be turned into a political debate by the ASA and MSA.
“They have every right to be out here holding signs, but this celebration is not a political event. It is a cultural event and we’re sorry they feel the need to turn it into a political event,” Johnson said.
Abu-Khudeir said his reason for demonstrating was simply to represent his group’s point of view, which he, like Leake, feels is falsely portrayed by the media.
“We are just trying to let everybody see the other side of the story,” Abu-Khudeir said.
“All we are asking for is freedom.”
Garner is hopeful about the future between Jewish students and Arab Students, and even between Israel and Palestine.
Garner said, “On a very basic level, we are the same. We are brothers, as they say. And I believe that is the key to resolution.”
