DEARBORN—Palestinian
activists held a demonstration outside Dearborn City Hall Thursday, July 3 to
express solidarity with the people in Gaza and throughout Palestine. The
demonstration took place as tensions between Palestinians and Israelis continue
to intensify since the deaths of three Israeli teens whose bodies were found in
the West Bank earlier this month after more than a two week search. 

“Palestine
should be the main focus that unites Arabs around the world. Our people in Gaza
and all around Palestine,” said Palestinian activist Abbas Hamideh, who
traveled from Cleveland to help organize the rally.

Violence
erupted Wednesday after 16-year-old Mohamed Abu Khdeir was abducted and a
charred body, believed to be his, was found in a Jerusalem forest. The incident
is believed to be an act of revenge for the deaths of the three teens.

Protesters
held up signs that read, “Stop the murder of Palestinian children” and “free,
free Palestine.” Demonstrators also chanted, “From Iraq to Palestine,
occupation is a crime.” More than 100 people attended the rally, which was
organized by the Palestine Right to Return Coalition.

Israel
blamed the kidnappings on Hamas and vowed to retaliate against the group.  Abbas Bazzi said there is no evidence
to back Israel’s claims that the slaying of the three Jewish teens was carried
out by Hamas.

As
of last week, roughly 500 people were reportedly arrested in the West Bank
since raids began; more than 120 Palestinians were injured, and six
Palestinians were shot and killed by Israeli forces. At least two had died of
heart attacks sustained during raids, which brought the number of casualties up
to eight.  Israeli soldiers also ransacked
homes, served summons to several men, and fired tear gas and rubber coated
bullets, injuring youth.

Palestinians
refer to the 1948 creation of the state of Israel as the “Nakba,” which  means catastrophe in Arabic. “The Nakba
has been happening for 66 years now…and of course as we all know here it has
been minimized and white washed by the media,” Hamideh said.