Hundreds of individuals came together Saturday afternoon at Catalina Park in Midtown Tucson, voicing their support for Palestine as the deadly Hamas-Israel conflict rages on in the Middle East.
Many of the demonstrators, Palestinians themselves with their own stories. One of those was Hassan Abou Sorur, a young high-schooler, who recounted a childhood incident at the refugee camp, Aida.
“When I was five or six at Aida Camp, I was a victim of tear gas in Israel,” he said. “Being Palestinian and aware of the world around me, I feel compelled to learn more about Palestine and advocate.”
This sixteen-year-old highlighted the level of support he is currently witnessing for the Palestinian people here in Tucson.
Sandra Butler, a Jewish woman, was one of those supporters. When asked what brought her out, she replied that there are no sides in the decades-long conflict.
“Its important for me to stand as a witness against the policies of the Israeli government. The side is justice, the side is liberation, the side is freedom,” Butler asserted.
Those themes of justice, liberation and freedom are something Palestinians like Loai Abushaar will continue advocating for until they are universally recognized.
“No matter what your race, religion, or ethnic background might be, everyone bleeds the same. At the end of the day, were all the same, and I think as time moves on, people are going to start realizing that,” said Abushaar.