By Jonathan Cronin
Students join together for peace in Israel
Nearly 700 students of the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway High School and HAFTR Middle School joined forces in a rally of nearly 20,000 people in front of the United Nations building in Manhattan last week to peacefully protest the outbreak of violence in the Middle East.
Called the "Solidarity with Israel Rally," it was sponsored by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York.
Stan Blumenstein, principal of HAFTR High School, said students joined the rally "to show support and solidarity for the State of Israel." About 425 high-school and 250 middle-school students attended the rally on Thursday, October 12.
"I hope people in Israel see this and realize that they are not alone," Mr. Blumenstein said. "While we are not over there, we'll do what we can to help."
He said U.S. senatorial hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Congressman Rick Lazio were shaking hands as they walked along the street to the podium at the front of the crowd, about four blocks from where the HAFTR students were protesting.
"It was not a political meeting...it was to show the people of Israel that they have friends here, that the world is not turning away," Mr. Blumenstein said.
Matthew Friend, a student at HAFTR who participated in the rally, said, "It was an outstanding protest. I didn't expect so many people." He said the rally showed great unity among the Jewish people.
He also said he believes the Palestinians used Ariel Sharon's visit to Temple Mount as "a scapegoat" to begin fighting. The visit to the sacred area by Mr. Sharon, leader of Israel's Likud Party, was blamed by many for touching off weeks of violence in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. More than 100 people, mostly Palestinians, have been killed in the fighting.
But the protesters on October 12 feel they got their point across.
"It was remarkable that so many Jews turned out in support of Israel. It was very cool," said HAFTR student Michal Benzagven. He added that he felt they made a statement about their feelings toward violence in the Mideast.
Harold Rosengarten, another HAFTR student, said he believes it "made an impact on the world. It's amazing how many people made an impact."
Principal Blumenstein added, "The situation is getting out of control. There seems to be no constraint on either side. ... It's the opposite of shalom [peace]. It's terrible, for Arabs, for Jews, for everyone.
"One would think they should sit down and strive for peace and understanding," he added.
President Clinton did open an emergency peace summit in Egypt on Monday, October 16, urging both sides to agree to an end to the violence.
Linda Scherzer, director of communications for the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, said the rally covered about seven blocks, from 42nd to 49th streets.
She said the organization was "extremely gratified with the coming together of New Yorkers, of Democrats, Republicans, Jews, non-Jews, and young or old, who turned out to express their solidarity with Israel." Ms. Scherzer said it was the largest rally in the country in support of Israel.
She added that her organization is in contact with the office of the Prime Minister of Israel and "the message [sent by the rally] resonated deeply with the people of Israel."
Many politicians and other notable persons showed up at the rally besides Ms. Clinton and Congressman Lazio. Governor Pataki, State Comptroller Carl McCall, former New York City Mayor Ed Koch and Elie Wiesel, Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor, were among those who attended.
Michael Miller, vice president of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, said of the rally, "We were overwhelmed by the turnout. It was far beyond our expectations."
The next day, Palestinian supporters rallied in the same location, and police estimated there were about 15,000 people there.
Abber Cabbad, chairman of Arab-American Parade in Brooklyn, which represents about 400 hundred Arabs, said," What is happening in the Middle East is very unfortunate. It does not make me happy one bit. Hatred does no one any good." He said he did not attend the rally for Palestinians on Friday, and he supports everyone. "I have respect for the synagogue, the church and the mosque," said Mr. Cabbad, who is an Arab-Christian.
In regard to politicians showing up at Thursday's rally and not Friday's, Mr. Cabbad said, "America should be more even-handed."
The rallies last week were in response to the latest violence between Israelis and Palestinians, which began Thursday, September 28, when Mr. Sharon visited Temple Mount and Palestinians began throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers shortly after. Temple Mount is held sacred by both Muslims and Jews. The area is a hot issue under debate in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Mr. Sharon is the hard-line, opposition leader in Israel who has not favored peace talks.
As of Monday this week, The Palestinian Authority had reported 103 Palestinians dead and 3,000 wounded since the flareup started. Israeli helicopters attacked Yasser Arafat's headquarters and Palestinian targets across the West Bank and Gaza on October 12, in response to the brutal killings of two Israeli soldiers by a mob of Palestinians.
