Tel Aviv [Israel], May 7 : A Holocaust survivor, Susanne DeWitt, shared her experience of addressing the Berkeley City Council in March about Holocaust commemoration, Times of Israel reported, citing an interview with a local
During an interview with a local Israeli channel, she said that her speech was disrupted by anti-Israel and antisemitic protesters when she mentioned the October 7 Hamas attacks. The activists yelled insults, calling her and others "Zionist pigs" and "traitors to this country" Times of Israel reported.
The 90-year-old Holocaust survivor said, "I was in a state of rage. They were denying me my freedom of speech, although they were always clamouring for freedom of speech. I was given one minute to speak and I was shouted down," as per the Times of Israel.
"They don't make a distinction (between Israel and Jews in general). A Jew, so far as they're concerned, is someone who should be annihilated. And that is the message that seems to come across from these protesters. I would like to say to the president: Please, please stand by the Jewish people," she added.
The conflict in Gaza escalated after Hamas carried out a massive terror attack against Israel on October 7, killing over 1200 people, taking around 250 people hostage and even committing sexual assault against civilians.
In response, Israel launched a strong counteroffensive targeting the Hamas terror units in the Gaza Strip. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the war will continue until Hamas is "destroyed," the Times of Israel reported.
However, the Israeli air assault and ground operations have drawn frowns from rights groups and the Arab world over the mounting civilian death toll.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, over 34,000 people have been killed in the Israeli attacks, including more than 12,000 children.