Today has been, and continues to become, a tragic one in Israel and Gaza, with the dead and injured still being counted on both sides. In the face of this madness, a remarkable scene emerged at tonight's social justice march in Tel Aviv.
The march tonight was supposed to be silent – as a memorial to the innocent victims of the terrorist attack in Eilat and the innocent victims who have fallen in Gaza. However, as the march commenced, a leftist group began chanting Jews and Arabs Refuse to Be Enemies:
Here is video of protesters chanting, at the beginning of tonight's march, "Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies!"
It was a chant that was taken up by many in the crowd, but a chant that also received heated responses, particularly with the tragedy that occurred in Beer Sheva in everyone's mind. (A rocket fired from Gaza killed one and injured many more – I will discuss this after the break).
However, as the rally concluded, and as news came trickling down of the tragic and devastating escalation of rockets and bombs that were falling in southern Israel and Gaza, the entire crowd began to take up the chant.
It was an amazing moment, not just the chant, but the fact that so many came out to march at such a difficult time. One of the protesters Tweeted a sentiment shared by many:
The sign reads: In Solidarity With the South (Israel) and Gaza.
10,000 march in Tel Aviv despite over 70 rockets that tragically fell in Israel from militants in Gaza and the government's demand that people stay home.
While the march was a moment in which a bit of humanity was able to shine through, today has been a difficult day in both Israel and Gaza.
In Israel, over 70 rockets landed across the South, with one hitting a home in Beer Sheva, killing one civilian and injuring many more. Additional injuries were reported of Israeli citizens from some of the other rockets, though most (thankfully) landed in open areas.
Tonight, top ministers in Israel's government convened to discuss escalating its response, and all indications from both government statements and military actions are that such escalations are now happening, with reports of ground forces approaching Gaza and bombing campaigns ongoing as we speak. Casualties of civilians are being reported.
Hamas released a statement that there would be no cease fire until Israel "stops its aggression," and Israeli officials expressed the exact same sentiment.
Yousef Munayyer of the Palestine Center in Washington, DC rightly stated, "Hamas & Israel now playing the 'No, No, you stop shooting first' game. Everyone loses that way."
It is a volatile night in the Middle East, with Libya convulsing under the weight of a historical moment (that appears to be getting increasingly violent as the night wears on).
Let's hope that same fate – the increase of violence – is not visited upon Israel and Gaza.
Let us hope that the chants of the protesters tonight in Tel Aviv portend a real reason for hope amidst plenty of reasons for despair.
--------------------------------------
Follow me on Twitter @David_EHG
--------------------------------------