A Syracuse-area resident was one of tens of thousands of people who gathered in Washington DC this weekend to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. The peaceful demonstration at Freedom Plaza near the Capitol coincided with several others across the world and even in Syracuse at Destiny USA as part of a global day of action. Local activist Peter Wirth has been connected to the conflict for more than a decade, and says the diverse crowd had a singular purpose.
“There were representatives from Congress, Palestinians who have lost family members, representatives from national Jewish organizations, all calling for a ceasefire.”
Wirth says it was energizing and meaningful to connect with people of all ages and backgrounds. Since the conflict began, those who show support for the Palestinians are sometimes quickly dismissed as anti-Semitic. Wirth says there’s a difference between criticizing policies of Israel and anti-Semitism.
“We spoke with younger people and they said on campuses that they are afraid to speak out because they would be labeled anti-Semitic," Wirth said. "So I think there's a lot more support out there and people are afraid to voice it.”
Wirth says they were simply calling for an end to the heartbreaking violence, which has claimed the lives of an estimated 24,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including about 11,000 women and children since October 7th. He says there’s also a larger goal of reaching a lasting peace in the region.
“The 75-year-old occupation has to be resolved," Wirth said. "Destroying Hamas, which Israel I'm sure, will eventually do and has the military capacity to do, will not solve the root causes of the problem. This issue will continue to fester.”
Wirth says their peaceful demonstration wasn’t met with any opposition that he was aware of, and police were cordial and helpful.
