Hundreds of Palestinian supporters gather in downtown Allentown

Written by on May 17, 2021

Hundreds of Palestinian supporters gather in downtown Allentown

By Genesis Ortega

May 17, 2021

Palestinian supporters gathered in City Center Allentown on May 16 to raise awareness about the violent conflict happening in the Middle East between Palestine and Israel. Photo | Genesis Ortega / WLVR

Violence in the Middle East continues between Israel and Palestine. In the Lehigh Valley, hundreds of Palestinian supporters gathered in Allentown on May 16 to raise awareness of the conflict.

Listen to the story.

Samar Latefa, 18, was at the rally at Seventh and Hamilton streets. She says she has family and friends living in Gaza and the West Bank.

Palestinian supporters gathered in City Center Allentown on May 16 to raise awareness about the violent conflict happening in the Middle East between Palestine and Israel. Photo | Genesis Ortega / WLVR

“The things that they have to go through are unimaginable. My sisters and I were there in 2011 and we are lucky to be able to come back alive. We sit here and we struggle with the PTSD but in Gaza there is no PTSD because there is no post trauma, it’s just trauma,” Latefa says. 

Latefa says with the rally, she hopes people become more willing to speak up in support of Palestine. 

“We need a call to action. Protesting isn’t enough. We need people to finally break the taboo against criticizing Israel,” Latefa says.  

Elsewhere in the Valley, a caravan of cars in Bethlehem was honking and waving Palestinian flags in support on May 16. 

Palestinian supporters gathered in City Center Allentown on May 16 to raise awareness about the violent conflict happening in the Middle East between Palestine and Israel. Photo | Genesis Ortega / WLVR
Palestinian supporters gathered in City Center Allentown on May 16 to raise awareness about the violent conflict happening in the Middle East between Palestine and Israel. Photo | Genesis Ortega / WLVR

Sign up for our WLVR weekly newsletter to stay up to date with the latest news from the Lehigh Valley and across Pennsylvania.


News

Current track

Title

Artist

Background