Police Step Between Middle East Protestors
By Michael Paulson
Boston Globe
Two opposing groups of demonstrators broke into a shouting match in front of the Israeli consulate in Boston today as they sparred over whether Israel was justified in sending its troops into Gaza.
About one hundred pro-Palestinian demonstrators, including Episcopal Bishop M. Thomas Shaw, called on Israel to pull its troops out of Gaza. The protesters held signs reading "Stop Collective Punishment,'' and "Stop the Siege.''
About fifty pro-Israel demonstrators held blue-and-white Israeli flags and signs reading "We Support Israel" and "End the Missiles.''
At several points, protesters started shouting at each other. While Shaw was speaking, an Israel supporter stopped his Toyota Camry in the middle of the street and jumped out and started shouting "Israel, Israel.''
Later, when Nancy K. Kaufman, the executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, began to speak, Jewish critics of Israel led the pro-Palestinian side in trying to shout her down, accusing Israel of "war crimes" and "genocide.''
At that point, the two sides began arguing vociferously at the entrance to the building housing the consulate, and the police officers on duty called for backup. The police asked both sides to stop using bullhorns to communicate, saying that such action requires a permit, and the arguments quieted down.
At various points, the two sides chanted slogans, with the pro-Palestinian side shouting "Free Palestine" and the pro-Israel side responding "Free Gilad," referring to Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier who was recently kidnapped in the Gaza Strip.
A few minutes later heavy rain began to fall, and both sides dispersed.
Bishop Shaw first jolted local Christian-Jewish relations five years ago when he joined a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Park Plaza, the location of Boston's Israeli Consulate. Shaw, who leads about 77,000 Episcopalians in Eastern Massachusetts, says he wants the Israeli military to immediately withdraw from Gaza and do what they can to take care of the Palestinians who are without electricity.
