Sh. Jamal Said Leads Prayer for Slain Humanitarians
by Connie Martin
Five busloads of men, women and children left the Mosque Foundation on Tuesday, June 1st to join over a thousand protesters in front of the Israeli Consulate in downtown Chicago. The rally brought out Muslim, Christian and Jewish protesters alike who gathered to protest against Israel's deadly raid on an aid flotilla bringing humanitarian relief supplies into the war ravaged Gaza strip. Nine people were slaughtered in the Israeli attack including a 19 year old American citizen, and dozens more were injured Monday night after armed Israeli naval commandos seized the ship in international waters.
After Israel's massacre of hundreds of Palestinian civilians of Gaza in 2008, the Israeli government has enforced a blockade restricting even the most basic food and medical supplies into Gaza. Sh. Jamal Said of the Mosque Foundation spoke at the rally and later led a funeral prayer on behalf of the slain peace activists. Sh. Jamal told the crowd, "Anyone who attacks a ship in international waters cannot claim self defense! Today we demand the end of the illegal and immoral siege on the Gaza Strip."
Click to watch entire speech |