Fox Point, WI ­ 350 people gathered for a counter­demonstration against an ‘Israel Solidarity Gathering’ held at Congregation Shalom in the Milwaukee suburb of Fox Point, July 27. Supporters of Palestine gathered across the street from the pro­-Israel event for two and a half hours, at one point enduring a thunderstorm.

This is the third large Gaza solidarity rally in as many weeks in Milwaukee. Many Palestinian families were present, as well as anti­-Zionist Jewish activists, anti­war activists and students.

As Zionists entered their event, Palestinian community members announced the names of those killed in Gaza during the last 21 days of Israel’s Operation Protective Edge. “They were forced to see the truth,” said Reema Hamden of Students for Justice in Palestine, one of the event organizers. Over 1000 people have been killed in the recent Israeli attacks on Gaza.

Some Zionists started heckling the crowd, shouting “terrorists.” Emotions ran high. Organizers of the pro­-Israel rally had two police forces and a private security checkpoint to search people entering the Israel event.

As the rally came to a close, a young Palestinian girl led a loud march down the middle of Santa Monica Boulevard before it was broken up by police.

#FoxPointWI #MilwaukeeWI #AntiwarMovement #Gaza #Palestine #Israel #Wisconsin #Zionist #Vigil #MiddleEast