Anniversary occurs without conflict
By Daily Bruin Staff
April 17, 2002 9:00 p.m.
 JONATHAN YOUNG Fourth-year philosophy student
Robin and his friend Ziv Kaufman
celebrate Israeli Independence Day on Meyerhoff Park Wednesday.
By Christina Jenkins and Andrew
Edwards
Daily Bruin Contributors
Celebrated as Independence Day by many Israelis and remembered
as “The Catastrophe” by Palestinians, Wednesday passed
peacefully on campus despite high tensions, as congregations
supporting both groups demonstrated at Meyerhoff Park and on Bruin
Walk.
Israelis and Jews around the world celebrated Israel’s
birthday Wednesday, the 54th anniversary of Israel’s
sovereignty from British Mandatory Rule. Students from the Jewish
Student Union, Hillel Council, and Bruins for Israel commemorated
the occasion with a celebration at noon that featured speakers from
the community.
Some Palestinians and Muslims, who remember the creation of the
Israeli state with a holiday of their own ““ the Day of
al-Nakba, or “The Catastrophe,” on May 15 ““
counter-demonstrated Wednesday with a silent protest on Bruin
Walk.
Pro-Israeli students, meanwhile, adorned Meyerhoff Park with
blue and white balloons and Israeli and U.S. flags. Two small boys,
one wearing a patriotic yarmulke, played on the grass during the
speeches. Some even dyed their hair blue to mark the occasion.
Though referred to as a purely celebratory event, the occasion
symbolized freedom for some and oppression for others ““ a
dichotomy that lends itself to tension.
“It’s just like the Fourth of July for
Israel,” said Allon Rafael, the student co-president of
Hillel. “It’s not a rally, it’s a
celebration.”
For other students, independence came at the expense of the
Palestinians.
“What they’re celebrating for their independence
symbolizes for me the day of occupation,” said Yakeen
Qawasmeh, a third-year philosophy student who held a sign that
read: “Is occupation something to celebrate?”
“Their 54 years of celebration is our 54 years of being
refugees,” said Qawasmeh, whose family was displaced from
Palestine in 1948 when Israel became a state.
Mahmoud Penjwini, a fourth-year bio-chemistry student said,
“I do not believe (pro-Israeli students) would be able to
celebrate 54 years of Israeli occupation after they have seen the
West Bank.”
For others, it is Israelis who must defend themselves if they
hope to avoid displacement.
“If we don’t stand up and assert our own beliefs
““ even if it is in a time of celebration ““Â we
don’t do the people of Israel justice,” said Rich
Cooper, carrying a sign referring to extremist attacks against
Israel that read “there is no excuse for suicide
bombing.”
“This is just a reminder that anyone who is going to deny
Israel its statehood will not prevail,” he said.
“For 54 years, this independence has been so hard to
maintain,” Cooper said. “You can’t celebrate
without acknowledging these things, or it’s an empty
celebration.”
The event’s guest speakers called on their audience to
lend support to the Israeli state.
“You are tomorrow’s future for the Jewish
people,” proclaimed Rabbi Daniel Bouskila.
The speeches were not homogenous in tone, though. Hillel’s
Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller sang a traditional Hebrew song.
“Let us always fight evil with love,” he said.
The silent protest was to mourn for and show solidarity with
people who have died, said Bilal Khan, a third-year computer
science student and president of the Muslim Students
Association.
“Today is not a day for celebration,” he said.
Approximately 300 students total were out on Meyerhoff Park and
Bruin Walk, according to university police spokeswoman Nancy
Greenstein. Many more observed.
One student watched from the Kerckhoff Hall steps while eating
lunch.
“It’s beneficial for the supporters here,” he
said, gesturing toward the pro-Israeli students, “and for the
students on this side,” he said, nodding at the students
expressing support for Palestinians.
“But I don’t think it has an effect on anyone else.
I’m sure the majority of people have no clue,” about
the Mideast conflict, he added.
While demonstrators and observers have strong political
feelings, some feel peace should be the first priority.
“There should be a third side that wants peace and
understands that we can get along on this campus,” said
Monica Youssef, a fourth-year communication studies student who
watched the event from Bruin Walk.
Leora Alhadeff agreed: “We need to look at a different
aspect of the conflict and have leaders that are pro-humanity, and
their first initiative should be to preserve human life.”
