From the Epoch Times, Feb 20, 2008, by Ben Kaminsky:
Although weathermen predicted storms and occasional rain, hundreds of people came out to support the Human Rights Torch Relay in Tel Aviv Monday evening, Feb. 18, and called for an immediate end to all crimes against humanity taking place in China before the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Darfurian refugees, Falun Gong practitioners, Rabbis, religious leaders, physicians, artists and all kinds of supporters participated in the rally.
Prior to the rally, religious leaders and community leaders from different religions and sects signed a joint statement calling for the stop of the crimes against humanity in China such as the persecution against Falun Gong, and the forced organ harvesting.
Over 20 religious representatives, including Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Burmese, Cherkes Muslims, Uzbek Muslims and other religious and community Leaders publicly signed the joint statement. "I hope the entire humanity will work together on preventing those things," said the Sufi Imam in Israel, Abed Al-Salam Mansara. The Cherkes Sheikh Zinaldin Faruk said that humanity must join hands and fight against the brutal practice. "We do not want any more disasters like the Nazis did in the forties to happen," he said....
...The Human Rights Torch was lit in the Tel Aviv Museum Plaza and carried by runners in the streets of Tel Aviv. Among the runners was labor camp survivor, Jennifer Zeng, who carried the torch while many Darfurians were dancing around the torch and beating their African drums.
After the march, many distinguished public figures gave their support speeches....
...'I came to cry out: a Holocaust is happening!'
"When I was a child, I was taught in School about the Holocaust," said Sarit Vino-Elad, an Israeli actress, in the rally. She shared how shocked she was by the apathy in which the murdering during that period was received in the public. "When I was asked to attend this rally," she said, "a mirror was held in front of me saying: 'you are just like those people who said they did not know [about the holocaust when it happened].'"
"I came here to cry out: a Holocaust is happening!" said Vino-Elad. "We must stop everything we are doing and act against it. We should not be concerned about the economical consequences of the war against this holocaust. There is a holocaust, and it is taking place in China because we are allowing it to happen. Not only are we allowing it to happen, we are also funding it, and strengthening the power of those responsible."
The host of the rally, Billy Wasserglick, added that if a big group as this one would have stood up against the Nazi regime, stood up openly for free speech, and condemned the Nazi regime, maybe her grandparents would be still alive today....
....Mr. David Kilgour, former Canadian secretary of state for Asia Pacific attended the rally. He questioned how a regime that is responsible for atrocities in China, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Tibet or Burma be allowed to host the 2008 Olympics. David Kilgour is a co-author of the "Bloody Harvest" report that verified the allegations of forced organ harvesting from live Falun Gong practitioners in China. He spent a few days in Israel in which he met members of Parliament, law experts, and other public figures in Israel to tell them about his report and about his knowledge of the human right abuses in China....
....The Human Rights Torch Relay is an international campaign that seeks to bring an end to all human rights abuses against the people of China, while highlighting the persecution of Falun Gong—the most severely persecuted group in China today. During the run up to the 2008 Olympics, the HRTR will host events in 37 countries across six continents to present its message: "The Olympics and crimes against humanity cannot coexist in China." Israel is the 26th stop of the Human Rights Torch Relay and will then go on to North America, South America, Africa, and Asia.
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