Protesters rally downtown against violence in Gaza Strip

• By BILL LODGE
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Jan 10, 2009 - Page: 1A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Approximately 200 Arab or Muslim demonstrators protested peacefully and loudly Friday downtown against the ongoing invasion in Gaza.

“One, two, three, four, stop the killing, stop the war,” shouted men, women and children of all ages. “Five, six, seven, eight, Israel is a terror state.”

A request for comment was made to the Jewish Federation of Greater Baton Rouge prior to the 90-minute demonstration, which frequently turned anti-Israeli.

Ellen Sager, the federation’s executive director, said in an e-mail shortly before sundown that she would attempt to respond. But she did not prior to press time.

The Jewish Sabbath began at sundown.

Attempts to call rabbis after the protest were also unsuccessful Friday.

Scores of protesters waved fliers and placards bearing photographs of dead or injured Palestinian children until just before dark.

Abeer Ezzir, 45, said she was born on the Palestinian West Bank. As a child of 4, she witnessed some of the horrors of the Six-Day War of 1967.

She said hundreds of civilians have died in Gaza since the Israeli army and Hamas militants began fighting last month.

Ezzir said she moved to Baton Rouge 18 years ago and wants her neighbors to know “what’s going on overseas. It’s miserable over there, and we don’t see it.”

She said she does not believe Israeli soldiers are targeting only Hamas fighters.

Dozens of protesters waved the red, white, black and green Palestinian flag as they chanted: “Gaza, Gaza, going to cry. Palestine will never die.”

Baton Rouge resident Sam Okasha , 43, said he was born in Gaza and talks with relatives by phone every day.