Tensions rising as protests held nationwide over Israel-Hamas war
SACRAMENTO - Tensions are rising across the United States as the Israel-Hamas war rages on.
We saw rallies here in California, including in Sacramento, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, where Palestinian and Israeli supporters clashed outside the Israeli consulate. Today, near the State capitol, a march of around 200 people in solidarity with Palestine.
A march on downtown Sacramento Saturday blocked streets at times near I and 16th streets. Several hundred protesters rallied for free Palestine. As war escalates in Israel, demonstrators call for an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.
"Educate yourself. Find out what's really going on. You know, when you systematically put people under pressure and you consistently take their livelihoods away, eventually, it's going to overboil. It's that simple," one person said.
"We have to have a political solution where Israeli Jews and Palestinians share the country with justice, with reparations for Palestinians. But that's, unfortunately, a long way off right now. Immediately, we have to stop the threat of genocide because that's what's happening against the Palestinians," said a Jewish protester.
We also saw rallies in support of Israel this week. Saturday marks one week since the deadly rampage by Hamas.
"I just can't stop thinking what they're going through. The families, the citizens, it needs to stop. It's horrible."
Meanwhile, the Anti-Defamation League denounced the ongoing pro-Palestinian demonstrations. "When they call them martyrs, those are the people who gunned down children and took hostages", said a spokesperson.
"Reach out to your Jewish friends, ask how they're doing. We know whenever there is fighting in the Middle East, anti-Semitism goes up here," said Mona, a senior rabbi of a congregation and says the support of Hamas terror is unacceptable. "People are posting things that indicate they think Israel deserved it. And that's very traumatizing for us and very terrifying."
Decades-old conflict coming to a head as people on all sides call for justice.
