Chicago -- More than 3,000 people from local Arab, Muslim and Palestinian communities joined members of civil liberties and anti-war groups late Friday, April 12 at a militant rally and march to the Israeli consulate to oppose ongoing Israeli violence against the Palestinian people in the Occupied Territories.

Protesters called for an end to Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands, an end to Israeli military and settler violence against Palestinians, and end to U.S. aid to Israel, and for support of the right of return for Palestinian refugees whose land and property has been seized by the Israeli government, military and settlers.

Demonstrators condemned the Israeli military’s ongoing invasion of Palestinian villages and towns, decried reported massacres of Palestinian civilians, and called for an immediate pull-out of Israeli troops.

“They are just murdering our people,” said one protester. “But our people are brave – and we will never surrender our freedom and our dignity.”

Several hundred pro-Israeli protesters staged a picket across from the Palestinian mobilization. According to estimates by police and protest organizers, the pro-Palestinian contingent outnumbered pro-Israeli supporters by about 15 to one.