SAN DIEGO — Jewish and Palestinian Americans stood side by side to call for peace.
Dozens gathered at Balboa Park Wednesday to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and demand local leaders take action.
As San Diego’s Jewish community celebrated Passover, many used the Jewish holiday to stand against what's happening in Gaza. People from various backgrounds and religions stood together with unified demands.
“On this Passover, we’re witnessing a genocide that’s being carried out in the name of the Jewish people in Gaza, by the Israeli government funded by U.S. taxpayers," said Lily Ostrer, organizer with Jewish Voice for Peace.
“We’re here to show that we exist with each other, we love one another. We want to see an end to the violence, we want collective liberation, Palestinian human rights," said a Palestinian American.
The demonstrators are protesting the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the loss of life of innocent civilians. They’re also calling on the U.S. to cut financial ties with Israel.
“It’s about time that this money is used to take care of us. I want to see my money, my taxes be used to benefit me, not be used to fund Israel to kill my people," said one attendee.
“People of all backgrounds are uniting against really horrific massacres that’s continuing in our names and with our tax dollars," said Ostrer.
On Saturday, all five local congressional leaders voted in favor of the foreign aid bill, which included about $26 billion dollars for Israel.
Those gathered in support of a ceasefire wrote letters and marched several blocks down the street to deliver them to Congresswoman Sara Jacobs’s home. The protestors were turned away by building staff and plan to deliver the letters to the congresswoman's office tomorrow.
“She allowed this money to go to Israel in this recent vote and we cant stand for that," said organizer Spencer Levine, a Jewish American.
“Our members of congress and our senators are not representing their constituents," added Ostrer.
Wednesday's rally is part of dozens of protests happening across the country at college campuses.
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