Anti-war protest comes amid growing Facebook campaign linking Israelis and Iranians - Virtual campaign takes to streets as protesters rally against bombing Iran's nuclear facilities."Together, we will inform Netanyahu and the world that there is no mandate to drive us into war with Iran," a spokesperson for the protest movement said prior to the event.


Some protesters wielded posters bearing the slogan "When the government is against the people, the people are against the government," and called on the country's leaders to resign.



Published: 03.24.12,

Some 1,000 protesters marched in Tel Aviv on Saturday night in a show of opposition to the possibility of an Israeli strike in Iran.

Over 2,300 citizens confirmed their attendance on Facebook, but the actual turnout failed to meet the organizers' expectations. The march, titled "Israelis against a war with Iran," began at Habima Square and concluded at Meir Park.




"Together, we will inform Netanyahu and the world that there is no mandate to drive us into war with Iran," a spokesperson for the protest movement said prior to the event.



Some protesters wielded posters bearing the slogan "When the government is against the people, the people are against the government," and called on the country's leaders to resign. The demonstrators chanted slogans the likes of "In Tehran and in Krayot, children want to live," and "The rioting Right is dangerous for Israel."



One protester, Sherry Shein, told Ynet: "We treat the Iranians like they're mad, but we're no less mad... Anyone who thinks that it's possible to strike a nuclear plant without repercussions is naïve, and an idiot. We should make efforts to reach peace."




Another demonstrator, Tamar Fleischman, added that she has no interest in paying the price for what she called a "strictly political strike."



Not all attendees were of the same opinion. One man, carrying a sign emblazoned with the Talmud saying "If someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill him first," called the protesters "cowards."



"The State of Israel doesn't want war," he said, "But when someone points his weapon at me, he should be disarmed."




Officials and pundits have been increasingly speculating in recent months that Israel is preparing to strike Iran's nuclear facilities in order to stunt the Islamic Republic's reported atom weapon development.





The global media and social networks have been abuzz in recent days over an Israeli couple's virtual message of peace and love to the Iranian people.



The message, penned by graphic designers Ronny Edry and Michal Tamir, was simple: "Iranians, we love you. We will never bomb your country." A poster bearing the slogan was posted on Facebook and quickly went viral, prompting thousands to share it, comment on it and make their own versions.




Last week, graphic designers Ronny Edry and his wife, Michal Tamir, unknowingly began a Facebook phenomenon when they uploaded a poster depicting Edry and his daughter with the words, "Iranians, we will never bomb your country, we [heart] you."

That one image sparked a movement of sorts, with hundreds, if not thousands, of images sent from Israel, Iran, and elsewhere in the world, in support of exposing what participants consider to be the human side of the conflict between Iran and Israel.

“My Israeli friends, I do not hate you; I do not want war. love, Peace,” read many Iranian posters that were posted by Iranians to the new group page. Most of the Iranians, who posted messages to the Facebook group, did so with their faces partially veiled, possibly out of fear from the Iranian authorities.




Last Saturday, Edry said that Iranian group members explained that they could be arrested if recognized in the photos.

“Dear Israeli Friends and World! Iranians love peace and we hate hate!...and we don't need any Nuclear Power to show it!” one poster caption stated.

“I’m from Iran and love your idea and your efforts against war and for peace. I am really happy to get to know you and people like you, and hope to find more people like you. Here in Iran the situation is complicated and many people hate the governments and their bullshit,” another anonymous Iranian wrote in a poster he published.

On Saturday, the protest against a strike on Iran – one, it should be added, that was not endorsed by the leaders of the Facebook campaign – began its march at Tel Aviv's Habima Square, making its way to the city's Meir Park.

Participants held signs with such captions as "No to War with Iran," and "Talks, not Bombs."







http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4207172,00.html



http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/hundreds-of-israelis-march-in-tel-aviv-to-protest-war-with-iran-1.420510


Photos: Marching in Tel-Aviv against a war with Iran, today