Rally held at Pullman to show support for Palestinian people

PULLMAN — Local religious leaders and members of the community urged people to empathize with the Palestinian victims of violence during a rally Wednesday in Pullman’s Reaney Park.

Approximately 60 people of all ages attended the rally to support the Palestinians in the middle of a bloody conflict with Israel that has killed more than 200 Palestinian people, including children. The rally culminated in a march through downtown Pullman.

“We are here to say that Palestinian rights matter, and Palestinian lives matter,” said Rev. Steve Van Kuiken, of Community Congregational United Church of Christ in Pullman.

The Community Congregational United Church of Christ helped organize the event with members of the Palouse Muslim Community.

He said Gaza has resembled the “world’s largest open air prison” where millions suffer from terrible living conditions while being confined to a small strip of land.

He said many have characterized Israel as an apartheid regime. Van Kuiken agreed.

“And we should not mince words, it’s an apartheid regime,” he said.

Asif Chaudhry, a local member of the Muslim community, said the atrocities that the world has seen in Gaza are common occurrences for the people there and are “absolutely inexcusable.”

He said Americans who believe in the constitutional rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all people should be outraged by the suffering of the Palestinans.

“Is it only for a certain group of people that we can live and pursue happiness, or should it be for everyone?” he asked.

Chaudhry said the U.S. government and the rest of the world cannot wait until acts of violence before paying attention to the plight of the people in Gaza.

“We demand our own government and the rest of the world must stand up and make this a continuous dialogue until a solution is found as opposed to talking about this only when there is active killing going on,” he said.

Rev. Elizabeth Stevens, of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse, also spoke during the rally and urged anybody who is religious to ask themselves a question.

“Does your God teach you that all children deserve to grow up safe and free and loved?” she said.

Stevens said Palestinian children are being denied that right. She made it clear that Israeli children are just as valuable as Palestinians, but Palestinians are suffering from an imbalance of military power and casualties.

She said colonialism and oppression are tragic parts of America’s history. That is why she is not speaking from a place of cultural superiority but from a place of “profound humility,” she said.

Americans, she said, know it is possible to accept responsibility for the country’s tragic history and work together with each other toward a common good.

“It is time to leave behind the path of war and retribution and to move onto a path to just peace,” Stevens said.

Many of those who marched carried signs with messages such as “Save Gaza” and “Stop U.S. Aid to Israel.”

As they walked downtown through Pullman in the cold sprinkling rain, their chants to free Palestine echoed through Main Street.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.