Grand Rapids, MI – A growing number of Michiganders are protesting the Israeli war on Gaza. A crowd of over 150 demonstrated at the Gerald R. Ford Federal Building in downtown Grand Rapids, July 25. Palestinian and Arab Americans were joined by larger numbers of other anti-war protesters to stand with signs reading “End U.S. aid to Israel,” and “Stop the war on Gaza!” Young people stood at one of the busiest corners in downtown Grand Rapids during rush hour traffic chanting, “Free, free, Palestine.”

Priscilla Lin of Hope Equals, a group in Grand Rapids, said her heart burns for the children of Palestine. She stated, “The protest needs to reflect in the Congress. People should call their Michigan senators to tell them to stop the war, both Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin. The U.S. is spending more than $3 billion on Israel and whoever pays the tax is sponsoring what goes on in Gaza. Also Representatives Justin Amash and Huizinga should get calls.”

Mahmod Abughoush, a local organizer of the protest related, “I want to let the people hear our voice. People are being killed every day, women, children, houses being bombed and destroyed, old people too. We want the Israeli government to stop the killing and terrorizing of people. Stop all the violence. The U.S. government needs to stop supporting Israel, to stop supporting the terrorists.”

When asked how he thought the American people see the protests, Abughoush replied, “The American people in general do not know the truth because the media is not doing its job right. The media is giving false information.”

As the White House continues to back the Israeli war against the people of Gaza, local groups around the state of Michigan are mobilizing to attend the court hearing for Rasmea Odeh on Thursday, July 31 at 1:00 p.m.

Rasmea Odeh was tortured and imprisoned by the Israeli military in 1969, and now the U.S. is putting her on trial for not reporting it on her immigration forms. She is a prominent and award-winning leader of women in both the Chicagoland area and Palestine.

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