Metro Residents Make Voices Heard In Middle East Violence Protest

Days after a cease-fire was called in the Middle East, dozens gathered Saturday afternoon in Oklahoma City to shed light on the turmoil.

The group marched through parts of downtown OKC as they said they're now calling on the state's governing officials to help bring peace, justice and safety to those impacted.

Within the last two weeks, dozens of people have died along the Gaza Strip as rocket attacks caused death tolls to rise on both sides.

"Many people have been hurt," Jewish Federation of Greater Oklahoma City executive director Roberta Clark said. "Many people have been killed. Not just Israelis. Arabs, Muslims, Jews. People of all faith traditions and no faith traditions."

Those who attended the downtown rally said now is not the time to stand by but for their voices to be heard. They want to see an end to the violence.

"Is my family surviving by another day?" progressive Muslim Organizer Tesneem Al-Michael said. "We're talking about such high levels of problems."

"...Collectively, we want nothing more than to see peace in the region, an end to the bloodshed, and a full recognition of the human rights of the Palestinian people,” the Council of American-Islamic Relations said, in part.  

The group said it has created a petition which urges the states elected officials to do more.

"It takes a meeting. It takes sending people," Al-Michael said. "It takes actively having discussions."

A cease-fire was called late Thursday. President Joe Biden said the U.S. will provide relief in Gaza to help with rebuilding efforts.

"I think it's helpful for us not to engage in hateful rhetoric," Clark said. "I think it's important for us to be willing to respectfully listen to difference of opinions."