Thousands Demonstrate for Peace as War Continues
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SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 7 (OneWorld) - Protesters took to the streets around the world this weekend to oppose Israel's attacks on Lebanon and call for an immediate ceasefire. Demonstrations took place in London, Brussels, Cape Town, Cairo, Tel Aviv, Sarajevo, and across Indonesia.
In London, the Stop the War Coalition said 100,000 demonstrators marched to call on Tony Blair to support an immediate ceasefire. Police put the figure at 20,000. Demonstrators were urged to pile children's shoes near Blair's residence to protest the large number of children killed so far. "This is a demand for a ceasefire now," British MP Tony Benn told the crowd. "There is no reason that Jews, Christians, and Muslims and Hindus should not live and work in peace and that is exactly what we are saying today." In Brussels, Reuters reports, thousands of people marched against the war on Sunday, echoing the demand for an immediate ceasefire. They carried Lebanese flags and placards, including one that said "Stop the massacre--let us bury our dead." The Lebanese Health Ministry said at least 925 Lebanese people have been killed since Israel's assault on Lebanon began 27 days ago. The vast majority have been civilians. Lebanon's High Relief Committee estimates another 3,400 people have been injured and one quarter of the country has been displaced from their homes. At the same time, Hezbollah has fired more than 1,000 rockets onto Israeli soil. Ninety-four Israelis have been killed: 58 soldiers and 36 civilians. "It's so sad," demurred Avraham Oz, a Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of Haifa. "The killing has been totally disproportionate. Everything that we're fighting over could be achieved at the negotiating table." Dr. Oz was one of over 5,000 Israelis who turned out in Tel Aviv Saturday to condemn the attack on Lebanon. He said the demonstration was smaller than he had hoped, but that turning out antiwar demonstrators inside Israel was difficult. "Lets face it, Hezbollah is not easy to identify as a group fighting for the liberation of the Palestinians whom we occupy," he said. "So it's very easy to convince people that we are fighting people who are the emissaries of Iran. It's very easy to sell." While some advocates demonstrated for peace around the world, others spoke out for continued war. In Casablanca, Morocco, tens of thousands of demonstrators held up photographs of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, chanting their support for the guerrilla movement. "O dear Nasrallah, destroy Tel Aviv," they cried, as well as "Death to the United States." In Baghdad, ten thousand supporters of Muqtada Sadr turned out chanting similar slogans. In Saudi Arabia, al-Jazeera reported 2,000 Shi'ite Saudis and Lebanese expatriates turned out in the eastern city of al-Qatif. The Arabic satellite network quoted demonstrators as chanting: "Not Sunnis, not Shia--it's one Islamic unity. Oh beloved Hezbollah, destroy Tel Aviv!" Meantime, at the United Nations in New York, the United States and France continued to prepare a ceasefire proposal for the Security Council. That's good news for religious leaders who had been calling for an end to the violence. Last week 36 religious and humanitarian organizations petitioned the UN for a ceasefire, among them the Vatican, the Anglican Communion office at the United Nations, the Mennonite Central Committee, the Lutheran World Federation, and the World Council of Churches. "There should not be any violence. It's not justified," United Sikhs' Kuldip Singh told OneWorld. "Do what ever you want with your governments and international policy in the long run, but right now what we are saying is it's time to call off this thing and stay put. Stop killing each other. Stop killing civilians." Perhaps as a sign of the times, no Jewish or Islamic organization signed on to support an unconditional end to hostilities. In addition, according to the Bush Administration the ceasefire proposal being put forward at the United Nations does not require the Israeli military withdraw from Lebanon, a key demand of both Lebanon and Hezbollah. Israel, meanwhile, refused to halt or alter its assault. "There will be no limitations on the army," Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told a group of soldiers Monday. "This war has involved fatalities, which hurts and is traumatic. This we know, but at the moment we have to cope with it, both on the battlefield and the home front. I will give you every strength and support, we are not stopping." |
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