Rally for Equality, Liberation, Justice and Peace in Israel/Palestine

   To Stop The War
   To Reach a Deal
   To End the Conflict
   To Make Peace 

Photos: Leon Kunstenaar

(Oakland, June 30) - Bay Area Jews, many with connections to Israel, rallied at the Lake Merritt Amphitheater to demand an end to the bloodshed and Israel's attempt to wipe out Palestine. There were no flags but instead large banners and huge signs in English, Hebrew and Arabic proclaiming "It's Time for Peace."

Organized by SF Bay For Peace, they demanded not only that the fighting and bloodshed stop. Their slogan "Equality, Liberation, Justice and Peace" recognized Israel's Zionist government's dehumanization of and crimes against the Palestinian people. They demanded an immediate cease fire and meaningful negotiations. They see a two state solution as the only viable goal.

Banners positioned at the lake's edge read "Justice, Equality, Freedom and Peace in Israel & Palestine" and "A Vigil for Peace." Events got underway with a Jazz band performing pro bono. Many then got to work creating banners under the direction of artist/muralist David Solnit, a regular at Bay Area protests.

Speakers addressed the crowd and musicians performed for the crowd of several hundred. A woman Rabbi proclaimed that Israel was not a "Jewish state" but a "state with Jews." Still technically true in spite of the Netanyahu government attempts to establish a theocracy, as in Saudi Arabia or Iran.

A woman spoke of her heartbreak at losing her grandson in the Oct. 7th Hamas attack. Illustrating that it is always the innocents that pay for the crimes of their government.

The protest was held in conjunction with a very large peace protest in Tel Aviv against the Netanyahu government.

See all high resolution photos here.