I think the words “Free Palestine” mean different things to different Palestinians. For some I believe it means a independent Palestinian state alongside an independent Jewish state. For others I’m sure it means one secular democratic state with equal rights for all its citizens, both Jewish and Palestinian. For still others it might mean one free Palestinian state with no room for Jews at all.

Yes, there are some who hold this latter position, but most polls show that this is clearly a minority view. Most analysts point out the majority of Palestinians who voted for Hamas in the last elections did not favor them because of their extreme position toward Israel, but as a rejection of the inefficient, corrupt nature of Fatah. However if there is no progress made in the status quo very soon, I genuinely fear that the extreme view will gain in popularity for a growing number of Palestinians.

It’s difficult to control messaging at a large demonstration and relatively speaking, there were just a few really offensive signs. In almost every case, those holding hateful signs were asked to put them down. For example, there was one being held by some young Palestinian girls and my Palestinian colleague went up to them and asked if they understood how offensive their sign would be. The girls immediately threw their sign away and took one of the official ones, calling for an immediate ceasefire.

One of the main reasons I urged readers of Brant’s blog to go to that demonstration, as you may recall, was to face the pain and anger that the Arab-American community feels as their relatives and friends in Gaza are under attack and dying by the hundreds with absolutely no place to flee. We Jews expect people to understand our fears and need for security, but are too often indifferent or dismissive of the fear and suffering that the conflict with Israel inflicts upon Palestinians.

There will continue to be demonstrations throughout the week, including large ones with lots of angry people and people who just don’t know what to do with that anger. Inevitably there will be a few outrageous signs, but I’m confident that the organizers of the events will make efforts to remove those signs.

Here are a few upcoming events. The Camp Hope events on January 14 may be more comfortable for the readers of this blog.

Wednesday, January 14th
Day of Action for Gaza

*”Camp Hope for Peace in the Middle East” 8 a.m.-4 p.m.*
Drexel Square, Hyde Park
intersection of E. 51st St. and S. Drexel Ave.

Come help us erect a memorial to all those who have been killed in the Gaza Crisis, paint a mural of hope for peace in the Middle East, and send video messages to people in Gaza, who have been cut off from the rest of the world.

8 a.m. 2 p.m.- Paint mural “For Peace in the Middle East”
12 p.m. 4 p.m. – Send a personal video message to Palestinians in Gaza!
1 p.m. Press Conference

Brings flowers to help us commemorate those killed. Bring cell phones to make phone calls to Obama’s transition team and to Dick Durbin’s office. Hosted by American Friends Service Committee and Camp Hope participating organizations. Find out more about Camp Hope at camphope2009.org

*5 p.m. “American Friends Service Committee Open House”*
Grace Place, 637 S. Dearborn, Chicago

Come learn about our programs, meet other activists, and get involved! Free pizza and info about AFSC’s work in social justice, and what you can do to help.

*7 p.m. “The Gaza Crisis: What the Media Isn’t Telling Us”*
Featuring Ali Abunimah, co-founder, Electronic Intifada
Grace Place, 637 S. Dearborn

Come hear Ali Abunimah, co-founder of the independent online publication “The Electronic Intifada,” speak about the current situation in the Gaza Strip.

Refreshments will be served.

For more info about any of these events, please contact Jennifer Bing-Canar
at jbing-canar@afsc.org or call 312-427-2533 ext. 19.

Point taken.

Last night, commentators on Fox News completely overemphasized a chant by a Palestinian demonstrator calling for Jews to go back to the ovens. You are correct. You can’t judge a movement by singled out comments.

There were several parts of the video though that were disturbing. Do you think “Free free Palestine” just refers to Gaza? When I have heard it in the past it refers to all of Israel. Hamas is clear in its intentions.

“Justice of its cause?” you say. What is it in the recent behavior of Hamas that you find just? Is their vision of society one that you feel comfortable supporting? The organizers of this demonstration clearly weren’t supporting Jewish self-determination alongside a Palestinian state.

Read a redemptive story about a Reconstructionist rabbi educating the holder of a sign equating Israel with Nazis. At a rally in support of Gaza a Reconstructionist rabbis confronts someone holding one of those signs and results in good feelings and the person destroying the sign and promising never to create a sign like that again.

I certainly can’t suggest that every person holding such a sign would be as open as that fellow was. But it certainly speaks well for direct intervention.

Without question, many of the images from that rally are incendiary and repugnant. It is important, however, to point out that neither side of this conflict are innocent from using this kind of odious rhetoric. A few years ago I attended the annual Walk for Israel in Chicago – it took place shortly before Israel’s Gaza disenagement. I vividly remember walking with my children past scores of Jewish protesters handing out flyers and loudly proclaiming (“Sharon is a Nazi!”)

Sad to say, with an issue this profoundly emotional, this kind of hateful speech is fairly inevitable. The important thing, I believe, is not to judge any movement by the words of its angriest constituents, but rather by the justice of its cause.

I was curious to see what the demonstration looked like that Lynn Pollack promoted on a previous post. There are numerous videos on YouTube of the demonstration at Tribune Plaza on Jan 2.

Here is one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdf1l_aO4oc&feature=channel_page

If you go 1.20 minutes into it you will see a blue and white flag with a blue swastika.

For any of you who would like to attend a rally in support of Israel in this trying time, there will be one Friday, January 9 at noon. Federal Plaza (Dearborn & Adams) More information can be found at http://www.juf.org/

Ann H.