WASHINGTON — Dueling protest groups were seen at George Washington University Thursday between demonstrators who are against the war in Gaza, and pro-Israel demonstrators who want the focus to be on the release of the hostages. After eight days of ongoing protests, supporters of Israel wanted to make their voices heard at GWU, holding a rally a block away from the pro-Palestine encampment that’s stood for more than a week.
"When Jewish students across the country are harassed, yelled at, spat on, cornered and blocked from the very places where they have the right to be, we respond with songs of hope and humanity as a community," said a George Washington student speaking at the rally who did not want to be identified. "This is our defiance."
A rallying call for the Israel supporters was the return of the more than 130 hostages still in Hamas custody.
“Omer is my cousin; he was 20 years old when he was taken hostage to Gaza form a Nova Peace Festival," said Leat Corinne Unger, a supporter at the rally. “The hostages should be at the at the forefront of this conversation no matter what you believe in, what political stance you take.”
Republican Senator Rick Scott stopped by the rally Thursday, calling for DC Mayor Muriel Bowser to remove the encampment on campus immediately.
“If she’s not going to do her job, we’re going to do our job," Scott said of Bowser. "If we have a locally elected mayor that’s not going to do her job in the District of Columbia where we have the outright to run the District of Columbia, she shouldn’t be here. We should take it back and she should not have a job here.”
Removing Bowser’s jurisdiction over the district would require a repeal of the Home Rule Act.
When asked for comment, Bowser's staff referred to a statement she made Wednesday morning when she was notified House Oversight Republicans were calling for her to remove the pro-Palestine encampment.
"I thought it was interesting. The members have universities in their own districts," Bowser said. "Especially the member in North Carolina, and I was watching a lot of activity in North Carolina. It would seem that her energy would be best placed there.”
Jewish college students in attendance at the rally say they would like more to be done to make them feel safe on campus.
“What we’d like to see is a renewed approach from university administrators to protect Jewish students," said Einav Tsach, a student at Maryland University attending the rally. "I think we’re expecting language that’s clearer, harsher condemnations and when situations do turn into violence and do turn into pure hatred, we do expect to see action.”
Mayor Bowser and DC Police Chief Pamela Smith are called to testify before Congress at an emergency hearing regarding this encampment next week.
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