Peace rally in support of Israel held in Prince George

A small crowd of about 40 people gathered outside of Prince George City Hall this afternoon (Tuesday) to show support for Israel.

“Some terrible things happened in the world over the weekend, and Prince George being a real tightknit close community, we thought it would be a good opportunity to just bring people from the community together to help reckon with some of the things we saw,” said Eli Klasner.

“I’m considering this to be more of a peace rally, we don’t want this about pointing fingers, we don’t want to import a terrible conflict that’s half way around the world into here in Prince George.”

Klasner added there’s a learning we can take from Prince George which he hopes people can take back out into the community.

“People can come together and pray and work for solidarity and peace, not violence and injustice.”

Klasner added Prince George’s Jewish Community has been closely following what has been happening in Israel.

“There’s been quite a few sleepless nights with the time change, all of us here have either family or friends or really close ones in Israel,” he said.

“It’s been difficult to kind of keep track of what’s been happening because it unfolded so quickly.”

Klasner said he’s seen footage and photos from what’s happening.

“Never in my life did I ever imagine in my life that I would as a human being, see such things, and I’m a descendent of Holocaust survivors,” he said.

“I was shown photos of the concentration camps, and the crematorium, and the gas chambers from the time I was a child growing up. What I saw this weekend was even more shocking and barbarian and graphic.”

As of this morning, two Canadians have been killed in the ongoing attacks in Israel, and another is believed to be taken hostage by Hamas.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said in the coming days, Canadians looking to flee will be evacuated with the help of the Canadian Armed Forces.

–With files from the Vista National Newswire