ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Tensions continue to escalate between Israel and Palestine, leading to increased violence in Jerusalem Wednesday.
About 100 demonstrators gathered outside the federal building in Rochester Wednesday afternoon, to protest recent violence against Palestinian civilians in Jerusalem.
“Give them the land," Tabassam Javed, president of the Islamic Center of Rochester, said. "Give them the right. Give them their state. Let them coexist. And let them exist in such a way that their rights are not denied."
President Biden has gone on record to say that Israel has a right to defend itself after Hamas and other Palestinian groups fired rockets into Israel, but a local Palestinian-American activist, who did not want to be named, calls Israel the aggressors.
“Expelling people from their homes, resistance is going to happen, you know?” she said. “I mean, they have a dome. Just look at the dead. Just look at how many people are dead.”
She says the recent violence comes during the Holy Month of Ramadan, where Palestinians are being attacked at places of worship.
Israel also struck back Wednesday with multiple air strikes on the Gaza Strip.
“To go pray they have to have tear gas and stun grenades thrown at them for worshiping, and there’s young, there’s old, it’s where people pray and play at,” said the activist.
Protestors chose the federal building due to U.S. financial support of Israel, and the neutral language of politicians.
Earlier that afternoon, Congressman Joe Morelle tweeted that he strongly condemns the attacks by Hamas against innocent civilians, and said he continues to support “de-escalation efforts and will work to achieve lasting peace, safety, and prosperity for both Israel and Palestine.”
“My government is funding my people's occupation as we speak, and the U.S. hasn’t said anything,” the activist said. “If anything, they’re saying they stand with Israel and it’s very shameful and embarrassing as well.”
Some are calling for Morelle to resign, while others just want U.S. to end its support of Israel.
“As a human being you feel that there are people who are being denied their basic rights and the world is looking the other way,” Javed said.
Meanwhile, Meredith Dragon, the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester said she is saddened by the violence, but claims Hamas is a terrorist organization and Israel has a right to defend itself.
"We hate to see loss of Palestinian life, or Israeli life," said Dragon. "Hamas is terrorist, uses women and children as human shields and they manipulate the situation in a way that I think the full story sadly doesn't get out there in the media."