Thousands Protest Lebanon War Outside Of The White House

Thousands protest Lebanon war

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...9-1702,00.html

From correspondents in Washington
August 13, 2006

SEVERAL thousand people demonstrated outside the White House overnight to protest Israel's US-backed military operations in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.

"Israel out of Lebanon now!" chanted members of the crowd, some brandishing signs that read: "Occupation is a crime."

Neither police nor leaders of the protest would offer an estimate of turnout.

The demonstration was organised by the anti-war coalition ANSWER - "Act Now to End War and Racism" - and the Muslim American Society, among others.

"Massacres and genocide against Palestinians must end today," said Esam Omesh, president of the Muslim American Society, who was among the speakers.

"Allahu Akbar" (God is Great), the crowd shouted.

Mr Omesh was loudly applauded when he gave "a message to George Bush": "stop calling Islam 'Islamic fascism'."

Among the protesters was Mehboob Husain, of India, his wife and two American-born daughters, who came "to express solidarity for Palestinian and Lebanese people".

Monica, a Polish woman in her twenties who would not give her last name, said the war was "just ridiculous", with tears in her eyes.

"As an American citizen I'm angry at what my country is doing with my tax money," said Hussein Ajrouch, a young American of Lebanese background.

A young man who gave his name only as Abdullah said he had travelled hundreds of kilometres from Michigan "to show our support to Lebanon".

"I'm against murder in all forms," he said.

Jean and Mickael Martinez, a white-haired couple, said they had also protested the war in Vietnam in the 1970s.

"We're mad at what our government is doing. We're protesting against what is happening in our country, which has turned into a occupying and aggressor nation," Mickael Martinez said.