reaction of sincere muslims

[islamicboy]

Thousands of Muslims hold demo in Washington

WASHINGTON, Oct 29: Thousands of Muslims protested across the road from the White House on Saturday afternoon in a massive outpouring of anger against the Israeli killing of Palestinian civilians and the US administration's pro-Israel policies.

The demonstrators packed Lafayette Square, listened to speeches, waved banners and later offered congregational prayers in the square's park. Some of the participants in the protest marched carrying a child-sized coffin covered with pictures of children killed or injured in this month's Israeli-unleashed violence.

The demonstrators accused the US of being party to the killings by siding with Israel, and many people were seen with red stickers saying, "Stop funding Israeli terrorism".

Muslim families had come from several places outside Washington to take part in the protest, which was the first major Muslim demonstration here since former Israeli defence minister Ariel Sharon's visit to the Haram Al-Sharif unleashed a wave of resentment in occupied Palestine and brought out stone-throwing Palestinian youth in what is described as the second Intifada.

The rally was mobilized in a short period of two weeks, but, as Mr Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on American Islamic Relations, the main sponsors of the event, said: "People's emotions are so high right now, it really didn't take much to organize the demonstration."

American Muslim attitudes have become an important factor in the US presidential and Congressional elections. There has been widespread resentment against what is seen as a shift in the US policy against Palestinians in recent weeks, with the Arab community, which accounts for over one million people in a total estimated Muslim population of six million, specially upset over some of the statements made by both President Clinton and his wife.