Asheville, NC – Western Carolinians for Peace and Justice in the Middle East rallied at the Vance Monument downtown here, Aug. 9, to protest Israeli attacks on Gaza and the West Bank.

Standing with a large banner that read “Stop arming Israel,” lively debate broke out among people passing by. Several people stopped to disagree, saying that they think the U.S. should arm Israel because there is “right to of self-defense” in the face of the Palestinian resistance firing rockets. Organizers pointed out that Israel’s brutal attacks on Gaza cannot be seen as self-defense since they are attempting to maintain an illegal occupation in Palestine and an occupying power cannot claim that it is defending itself.

The group recently hosted Electronic Intifada co-founder and author Ali Abunimah to speak about the movement for justice in Palestine. They have also organized several actions over the last year aimed at boycotting SodaStream, a company operating in an illegal Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank.

#AshevilleNC #AntiwarMovement #Gaza #Palestine #WesternCaroliniansForPeaceAndJusticeInTheMiddleEast #MiddleEast