Dearborn Rally Sees Hundreds of Pro-Palestinian Supporters Condemn Israel

Hundreds gathered in a theater in Dearborn, Michigan, on Tuesday night to share their support for the Palestinian cause and condemn the Israeli government.

Palestinian militants fighting for Hamas stormed into Israel on Saturday, killing over 1,000 people and taking dozens hostage in a multi-pronged offensive. Hamas said the attack was retribution for worsening conditions for Palestinians under Israeli occupation.

Israel formally declared war on Sunday and has been pummelling the sealed-off and densely populated Gaza Strip with airstrikes. U.S. Palestinian health authorities in Gaza said on Tuesday that 830 Palestinians in the territory had been killed since Saturday. Israel has also stopped entry of food, fuel and medicine into Gaza, worsening the already abysmal humanitarian conditions in the tiny territory of 2.3 million people—half of them children.

Videos on social media showed supporters waving Palestinian flags and calling for a “free Palestine” inside the packed Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn.

Some expressed sympathy for the civilian lives lost in Israel in recent days, but noted the conflict has been going on for 75 years, according to CBS News.

Imad Hamad, the executive director of the American Human Rights Council, noted that expressing support for the Palestinians was not the same as support for Hamas.

“Now, if you’re expressing support to Palestinians, automatically you’re pro-Hamas, that’s not true,” Hamad said. “I’m talking about Palestinians; I’m talking about innocent people. I’m talking about millions of lives.”

According to CBS News, one speaker said: “We are not criticizing Judaism. We are criticizing Zionism. We are not extremists or antisemites; we are criticizing a foreign policy.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.