Middle East rally turns contentious, as various groups converge in plaza

Yesterday's rally in a sun-soaked Firestone plaza was meant to promote peace in the Middle East, but it ended in a bitter argument between students supporting Palestinians, Israelis and every position in between.

Earlier this week, Leo Kontorovich '01, who organized the event, invited acquaintances and certain student organizations — such as Jews for Justice and Peace — to join him in what was supposed to be a non-political demonstration for peace in the Middle East.

But the event, which attracted about 35 students, turned into a conflict over how the crisis in the Middle East should be viewed and how Princeton students should respond.

During the rally, which lasted from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., students sat on the steps of Firestone plaza holding white signs that read in blue and black writing, "Israel is not the aggressor," "Israel has the right to exist" and "Arafat stop the violence." They sang songs in Hebrew, and Kontorovich read a speech that emphasized "Israel's right to defend itself, its very existence and the lives of its citizens."

"It was supposed to be a spontaneous event with a goal to spread a positive message about Israel," said Sean Ir '03, one of the rally's organizers.

"We wanted to find a message that everyone could agree on — support for Israel," he added. "Some of the signs were problematic, and could be viewed as political. But I thought everyone would agree with them."

At about 3:00 p.m., about five students from Jews for Justice and Peace, led by Elliot Ratzman GS, joined the rally holding signs that advocated a different message, such as "Pro-Israel, Pro-Palestine, Peace and Justice."

But when these students attempted to climb the steps where Kontorovich's group was singing and chanting scripture, they were asked by a number of pro-Israel demonstrators to stand to the side. And their subsequent efforts to maneuver to the center of the rally were met with vocal condemnation from the already-assembled protesters.

The latecomers gave in, and spent the remainder of the rally brandishing their signs off to one side of the Firestone steps.

"The event was supposed to be all encompassing and very broad. It was not supposed to be political," said Michael Levi GS, who came to the rally with Ratzman. "The signs here are representing the two different visions of Israel. When a sign reads 'Arafat stop the violence,' it misses the point. It makes this political. It doesn't bring about cooperation."

Students from Jews for Justice and Peace were not the only people who were unhappy with the form that the rally for Israel assumed. Another group of students, who have been holding hour-long vigils every day this week for the Palestinian dead, attended the rally hoping that it would not have a political message. They too entered the argument over what form an event about the Middle East should take.

"I didn't think that being pro-Israel or pro-Palestine were mutually exclusive," said Asli Bali GS, who helped organize the Palestinian vigils and who attended the rally for Israel. "I thought that this rally was going to be for peace, not a group of people screaming propaganda. It is just blood-curdling to listen to the message that they were sending."

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The vigils that Bali helped organize — which were sponsored by the Princeton Arab Society and were supported by both the Democratic Left and the Muslim Student Association — are silent events to mourn the Palestinian civilians who have died in the past three weeks.

They have been held in Firestone plaza every day this week from noon to 1 p.m. At the vigils, students hold signs that list the names of the Palestinian dead under the titles, "In memory of Palestinian victims of Israeli aggression."

The organizers of the vigil also laid out white cutout body figures for each civilian killed under the age of 18.

"The vigil respectfully tried to give attention to the pain and loss of the conflict. It created dialogue," said Adam Benz '01, who attended the event yesterday and plans to attend today. "People on this campus need to realize what is happening. People are dying, most of whom are children. Most of the things that the media says is one-sided and there needs to be a joint discussion."

Sally El-Sadek '02, a member of the Princeton Arab Society who has attended every vigil this week, said, "There was a very different atmosphere at the rally this afternoon compared to the vigil. The vigil was silent, and this one was very loud. It was much more charged and evoked more confrontational emotions."

But pro-Israel students at yesterday's rally made similar accusations about the vigils.

"I think having a vigil to mourn the dead is important, but I could not join them because their sign said they were mourning the victims of Israeli aggression. I can't agree with that," Levi said. "I know that our signs that read 'Israel is not the aggressor' imply that the Palestinians are. But I oppose those sort of political statements. I was just looking for statements that everyone who is pro-Israel would agree on."

Students who came to Firestone plaza did agree on one thing — not only is there a need for peace, there is a need for increased discussion on campus about the subject.

"In general, what will come out of that is an understanding of each other's point of view," El-Sadek said. "Their view is that you have to choose on one side or another. We don't agree with that. We think that there should be a joint discussion."