The Mideast conflict spilled into Southern California on Sunday, with dueling rallies by Jews and Muslims asserting dramatically different messages about Israel's actions in strife-torn Lebanon and Hezbollah violence against Israel.
Braving extreme heat, a crowd of Israel's supporters estimated at several thousand clogged Wilshire Boulevard, waving Israeli and American flags and cheering speakers who included Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Both lamented civilian casualties in Lebanon but expressed strong support for Israel.
"We're all here to do one thing, and that is to support the state of Israel," Schwarzenegger said, noting that he first traveled to Israel as a bodybuilder and has been back many times since. "Any nation has the right to defend itself against terrorism."
"We're here to affirm the basic truth that there can be no peace without security," Villaraigosa said.
The rally, touting the twin themes of Israeli security and peace, reflected what many American Jewish leaders say is the broadest and most unified community support of Israel they've seen in years. Even some Jewish peace groups that have outspokenly criticized Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories are firmly backing the Jewish state's current actions in Lebanon as a justified response to an unprovoked attack by Hezbollah, the Shiite militia.
"Israel is clearly under great duress, and its situation has mobilized support throughout the community across geographical and ideological lines," said John Fischel, president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, which organized the rally. "It's a real defining moment for Israel and the Jewish people."
At a counter-rally a block away, about 100 protesters waved Palestinian flags and banners with slogans that included "Jews against Israeli terrorism."
Earlier in the day, local representatives of nine major Islamic groups met to plan a unified response to the escalating conflict and to counter what they see as a pro-Israeli bias in U.S. politics and the media. They argued that the massive destruction in Lebanon would not bring peace and would jeopardize U.S. interests in the region.
"We don't have any sympathy for any of these groups, Hamas or Hezbollah," said Maher Hathout, chairman of the Islamic Center of Southern California. "But supposing those guys really are the bad guys, by no stretch of the imagination does that justify what is going on now."
