UW-Madison students were among the tens of thousands of Israeli supporters who rallied on Capital Hill Monday, demanding Congressional support for the war against terrorism.
The National Rally in Solidarity with Israel was held in the wake of several Palestinian suicide bombings in recent weeks, as Israeli troops continue an offensive in the Palestinian territories on the West Bank.
U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Guiliani, former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Nobel Laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, who is speaking at UW tonight, were among the rally’s high-profile speakers.
UW Sophomore Jessica Wolf said Guiliani was her favorite speaker.
“He really has a lot of important things to say, especially with his experiences with 9/11,” she said.
The rally was organized by synagogues, schools, the Orthodox Union and the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations. The groups say they condemn the killing of Israeli civilians, and they urge supporters to contact Congress to voice their concerns about the global fight against terrorism.
Sharon Evans, mother of a wounded Israeli, told ralliers she will not give up the fight against terrorism.
“Monique and I made a promise,” she said. “We will not let the world forget [her]. Please help us keep that promise.”
Rabbi Heshi Reichmann, professor of the Talmud at Yeshiva University, said he wants President Bush to condemn all terrorists.
“We ask President Bush to hold true to his word that there is no good terrorist,” Reichmann said. “The war on terror must be fought and must be won. You can’t make peace with those who hate life even more than they hate Jews.”
UW doctorate student Christa Bruha took a different view.
“Palestinians love life so much that they refuse to live a non-life,” she said at a Palestinian rally on Wednesday. “They want life, but they don’t accept life without dignity. Neither do we. Palestinians will settle for nothing less than the life that you and I take for granted.”
Senior Ryan Lowe said rally attendees expressed discontent with the way U.S. officials are handling the Middle Eastern political situation.
“People feel the Bush administration isn’t giving Israel a right to defend itself,” Lowe said. “They aren’t saying to stay out, but to stand by [Israel] and support them instead of telling them what to do.”
