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Locals Protest Gaza Attacks

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By RAY REYES

rreyes@tampatrib.com

Published: December 31, 2008

TAMPA - The thought of his six young nieces keeps Yusuf Dabus awake.

The girls, ages 3-7, lived in the Gaza Strip and were seeking shelter near a mosque over the weekend as Israeli planes dropped bombs on Hamas targets. His nieces died, Dabus said, casualties in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

"Basically that whole street was taken out," said Dabus, of Tampa. "My aunt's house and all. How can I sleep knowing my family will not be alright tomorrow?"

Dabus' story and news reports inspired University of South Florida sophomore Jehad Saleh, 19, to speak out. He started a group on the social networking site Facebook two days ago.

He encouraged local Palestinians and Palestinian-Americans to gather at West Spruce Street and North Dale Mabry Highway on Tuesday to protest the violence. Saleh's call was relayed through text messages and word-of-mouth.

By 4 p.m., at least 400 demonstrators had lined up along the busy thoroughfare, waving Palestinian and American flags, holding homemade signs and chanting through megaphones.

"I've had cousins in the Gaza Strip who died. If their voice can't be heard, mine will," Saleh said.

Demonstrators chanted "Free, free Palestine" and "Stop the killing." Signs encouraged passing motorists to "Honk 4 Peace."
Mike Prysner of the ANSWER Coalition, a civil rights group, said Tuesday's demonstration was part of a national day of protest about the situation in Gaza. Although generally a peaceful, if intense, protest, tensions flared when Benyamin Berke walked through the crowd draped in an Israeli flag.

"I wouldn't call it provoking unless being Jewish in this area is a provocation," Berke said. "I wanted to let the people of Tampa know that there's people who support Israel."

"I'm angry about this war," said Marwan Asadi, 39, a Palestinian and an Israeli citizen. "I want us to be able to sit down and solve our problems."

News Channel 8 reporter Samara Sodos and information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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