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SALT LAKE CITY — As fighting in Gaza trudges on and pro-Palestinian students ratchet up protests on college campuses around the United States, Aziz Abuzayed is doing what he can to push the Palestinian cause in Utah.
The Palestinian-turned-Utahn grew up in Gaza and has lost several relatives, including a great aunt, in the nation's ongoing war with Hamas extremists in Gaza. Now, he's helping spearhead creation of a memorial at the Salt Lake City-County Building, to remember them and the other 30,000-plus Palestinians who have died in the war. It opens to the public on Sunday.
"I hope this will be the place where I can get a sense of community support from other people who will be there," Abuzayed said Thursday as installation of the memorial began. He's been involved in other pro-Palestinian demonstrations around Salt Lake City since the Israel-Hamas war started on Oct. 7 with the attack by Hamas extremists from Gaza on neighboring Israel.
A ceremony marking the opening of the Palestinian memorial, permitted by Salt Lake City officials, is set for Sunday at 5 p.m., and it'll remain open on the west side of Washington Square, adjacent to the Salt Lake City-County Building, through May 12. Among the contingent aiding in the effort was Jamie Hewsser, of Salt Lake City, who isn't Palestinian but supports the Palestinian cause.
"They need all the support they can get," Hewsser said, citing Christian principles of loving everybody and standing up for those in need. "To me this is so huge to show our humanity and what we believe as people."
The memorial will feature numerous red, green, white and black Palestinian flags, as well as photos of people purportedly killed at the hands of Israeli forces (as compiled on murderedbyisrael.com). Some of the deaths occurred after the Oct. 7 attack while many occurred before, according to the website, which was created by a group of anonymous "concerned citizens" from Australia. Abuzayed said he plans to put photos of his family members who were killed in the ongoing conflict at the memorial, and he invites others to do so, as well.
The Associated Press, citing the Gaza Health Ministry, reported Sunday that 34,000 Palestinians have died in the Israel-Hamas war — most of them women and children. Around 1,200 Israelis died at the hands of Hamas when members of the group raided southern Israel, taking around 250 hostages. At least 130 or so of them are still unaccounted for, and perhaps 30 believed to be dead, the news agency said.
Israeli officials have touted the war as an effort to defend the nation against Hamas, decreed a foreign terrorist organization in 1997 by the U.S. State Department. Hamas has been the "de facto governing body" in Gaza since 2007, after it ousted the Palestinian Authority, according to the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Palestinian advocates like Abuzayed, though, paint the Israeli response as overkill, impacting people who have nothing to do with Hamas. His family members who died in a bombardment by Israel weren't affiliated with Hamas, same as him. "I am the one of the biggest dissidents of Hamas. I don't like Hamas," he said.
He charges that Israel is attempting to maximize civilian casualties in its attacks on Gaza in a bid to turn the Palestinian public against Hamas. The memorial — an initiative of the Palestinian Solidarity Forum of Utah, Arabs for Utah and Utah for a Ceasefire — is meant to acknowledge their suffering.
"This is like a small thing to honor those lives that have been lost," said Yahia Rashed, of Orem, who is of Palestinian descent and was on hand during Thursday's setup efforts. "For me, it's heartbreaking."
Last week, the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy group, released a report saying incidents of antisemitism across the United States spiked between Oct. 7 and the end of 2023. The organization counted 8,873 antisemitic incidents in 2023, up from 3,968 in 2022, with 5,204 of last year's incidents reported after Oct. 7. Likewise, leaders of the Utah Jewish community say they have seen a big jump in antisemitic incidents in the state.
Abuzayed acknowledged concerns in the Jewish community about antisemitism, which underscores the country's response to the attack. "I understand they have legitimate fears," he said.
However, he questioned the show of might by Israeli forces. "They have the power. They have the F-16s. Who is oppressing them?" Abuzayed said.
Moreover, he questions whether Israeli military efforts will stop Hamas. "I don't think Hamas is even affected by this," he said.
The issue has spilled into the Salt Lake City Council chambers. The body in February adopted a resolution urging U.S. and international leaders to broker a "lasting peace" in the Israel-Hamas war. Pro-Palestinian advocates had pushed city officials to approve a measure calling for a ceasefire in Israeli military action.
Correction: This story incorrectly used the word "opposing" instead of "oppressing" in a quote from Abuzayed discussing Israeli forces.
