Jews On Both Sides Of Gaza Withdrawal Issue
Hold Protests In New York

Under cloudy skies and drizzling rain, they gathered in front of the United Nations this morning. About 60 American Jews came out to pray for friends in the Gaza Strip forced to leave their homes after almost four decades of occupation.

On day three of the eviction of Jewish settlements in Gaza and the West Bank, emotions still ran high.

Video of protest:

Click here if you have a slow internet connection
Click here if you have a fast internet connection

“This is our land. We have one country – this is our country,” said protestor Karen Polsky. “There are 22 Arab countries, and all they want to do is take our country piece by piece.”

Organizers including the Zionist Organization of America say they were expecting thousands at the rally. They cited many reasons for the no-shows, mainly that previous protests did not prevent the eviction from occurring.

“It was the weather, the fourth rally in three weeks, and the fact that it looks like it’s a fait accompli,” said Morton Klein of the Zionist Organization of America. “All of that together I think is what made people feel like they were rallied out, and what’s the point at this point?”

As the signs held by protestors indicate, the point is the eviction is pitting Israelis against Israelis. There is also concern the Gaza Strip will turn into Terrorism Central.

“You can’t help but looking in terms of the history of what the Palestinian people have done over the last number of years when they had an opportunity for peace, that this won’t become a terrorist stronghold. And that’s our fear, many of our fears,” said protest organizer Howard Teich.

While protests against the Gaza disengagement were going on, half a block away counter demonstrators say this is exactly what Israel should be doing.

“Throughout the thousands of years of exile God has explicitly told us, the Jewish people, that we are forbidden to create a state,” said Rabbi Yisroel Weiss of Jews United Against Zionism. “We are in exile till there is a meta-physical change in the world.”

No one knows when that day will come, but thousands of miles away, settlers who have not left yet now face the prospect of being evicted by force.