SEATTLE — As tensions rise between Israel and Palestine overseas following an attack by the Hamas terrorist group on Israel, people in Washington state are making their voices heard.
On Thursday afternoon, people gathered in Red Square at the University of Washington for a “Free Palestine” rally.
“For over seven decades, we've been living under a settler colonial regime that ethnically cleansed the Palestinian population,” said Bissan Barghouti, who is with the group Samidoun in Seattle, which is a Palestinian prisoner solidarity network.
Though Thursday's event at UW was held to advocate for Palestinian freedom and rights, there were also some Jewish students in the crowd who came to stand in solidarity with those attacked in Israel.
“We wanted to stand with our brothers and sisters, and while they celebrate, we mourn,” said Aidan Dveirin, a UW student who is Jewish.
On Saturday, Oct. 7, Hamas militants, which have ruled Gaza since 2007, launched a surprise attack on Israel and abducted an estimated 150 people. In that and subsequent smaller attacks, more than 1,300 people have died in Israel.
According to the United Nations, around 423,000 Palestinians had to flee their homes to avoid retaliatory Israeli airstrikes. Furthermore, authorities on both sides say strikes in Gaza have killed more than 1,530 people in Gaza and injured thousands more. More than 60% of those killed have been women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
As the attack by Hamas on Israel is in the news all over the world, Palestinian Bissan Barghouti said she wants the rest of the world to hold Israel accountable for its settlements into disputed territories.
“We are here to call on the United States to stop offering all foreign aid and military support to the Zionist regime,” said Barghouti.
Dveirin said he has several friends in Israel who have been taking shelter and are now preparing for war. He said if Palestinians on campus wanted to talk about this topic two weeks ago, he would have had the conversation, but after last week's Hamas attack on Israel, he said now is not the time.
“If you are here saying ‘Free Palestine’ on a day like today, this is not in support of the people, this is in support of Hamas and terrorism,” said Dveirin.
As conflict overseas continues, Barghouti hopes the United States will halt its support of Israel.
“The United States is now planning to back an all-out war and fund the genocide of Gaza,” said Barghouti.
While Dveirin hopes the people of Israel can find safety and peace in the chaos.
“This is not about people on both sides, this is about wiping out a people that have been persecuted since the beginning of time,” said Dveirin.