Rally highlights contrasting views
A rally condemning the recent Israeli offensive in the occupied territories and calling for a separate Palestinian nation attracted a large crowd of supporters, counter-protesters and curious onlookers outside the Collis Center yesterday. As speakers such as writer and activist Grace Paley and Jewish studies department chair Susannah Heschel spoke out against alleged human rights violations and the leadership of Ariel Sharon, members of the Dartmouth Israel Public Affairs Committee held up signs with such messages as "Arafat is a terrorist" and "PLO = Al Qaeda." Meanwhile, signs paraded by rally supporters proclaimed, "Sharon is a war criminal" and "Protest any limit to humanitarian aid in the occupied areas." Although rally organizers attempted to present a unified front that was both "pro-Palestinian" and "pro-Israeli," the use of such disparate slogans and the outbreak of heated arguments afterward demonstrated the divides between some present. Event organizer Shilyh Warren '98, though, felt the protest achieved all of her goals, which she said included informing the public and avoiding "us versus them" rhetoric. She did express disappointment, however, at DIPAC's method of participation, saying, "The DIPAC illegally planned an event at the same time and place as the official rally." "It was a mistake on our part, but there was no bad blood.
