People getting kicked out of their homes, families being separated, and children’s lives lost—these were a few of the themes discussed at the Seattle University Students for Justice in Palestine (SUSJP) rally held Oct. 10. SUSJP has held multiple rallies in support of Palestine for two years now. Most rallies address current news regarding Gaza and share chants to help guide the movement forward. 

The rally was held on Seattle U’s campus in front of the Lemieux Library with Seattle U students and Seattle U faculty members primarily present. SUSJP executive Hashim Ameer, a fourth-year mathematics major, estimated that around 150 protesters showed up. 

Ameer, along with Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) gave speeches at the rally to raise awareness about genocide in Gaza.

The rally started with an acknowledgment that we had officially entered one year of genocide in Gaza. SUSJP then began to talk about the number of victims in Gaza. The number of victims was highlighted on their Instagram page as well. 

Approximately 40,000 Palestinian have been killed according to the Gazan Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatant and civilian deaths. This number includes 16,920 children. Additionally, it’s estimated that 13,700 Palestinians were injured as of Oct. 23, 2023. 

“As I’ve said in every rally, I think statistics for me is not just about numbers. People should not be reduced to numbers. Even as we see the death count exceeding 42,000,” Ameer said. “The reason I bring up numbers is that for many students, the best way they can understand numbers is to actually visualize it.”

Ameer helped the protesters visualize the death toll by comparing it to the Seattle U undergraduate and faculty population of 10,000, which he said is being reported as the total number of people who are buried under rubble. 

The PYM representative then read a poem about their experience visiting Palestine. The rally also featured a speaker from JVP, who highlighted a separation between Judaism and Zionism. 

The rally ended with the announcement of a new club founded by faculty members: the Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine (FSJP). The members spoke about how they wanted to attract support from the Seattle U faculty without the tension of losing jobs. 

“Here at Seattle University we are encouraged to be people for others, and are told that are mission is to empower leaders for a just and humane world. We are encouraged to approach you, our students, with cura personalis, respecting and caring for you as whole people. It is in that spirit that we honor the clarity of your version and the pain in your hearts as you take a principled stand for justice in Palestine,” Amanda Heffernan, a professor and FSJP member who spoke at the rally, said.

Salma Bardawil, a fourth-year psychology major and SJP president, talked about how faculty have been helping them in the background with advice, setting up events and simply being a helpful resource. 

“We have been working with many of the professors and other faculty who are part of the current FSJP before they banded together before they were officially a coalition of professors,” Bardawil said. 

SUSJP has faced some struggles when bringing outside resources to speak at rallies. One particular group they couldn’t get on campus last year was the JVP. The Seattle U On Campus Demonstrations Policy permits outside speakers in accordance with the Speaker Policy. SUSJP was denied its request to invite JVP to campus last year, although they could speak at this rally.

Bardawil expressed concern over students losing interest in the issue as time passes.

“The gap of the summer definitely doesn’t help, and people go home. They sort of forget about the activism that they were doing while they were students and forget that things don’t stop while we’re gone for the summer break,” Bardawil said. 

Ameer talked about how SUSJP looks forward to setting up events and helping people stay informed about the ongoing genocide in Gaza. 

“We currently don’t have any actions planned, but obviously, a big thing that we do look at is how are things changing. How are things evolving both on the ground in Palestine and now in Lebanon,” Ameer said. 

The SUSJP community has shown that they are here to stay and have their voices heard by all. Whether it be on campus or off during the year or during summer break, SUSJP will support Palestine. It’s also clear that they are not alone. With the help of JVP, PYM and FSJP they will keep pushing forward to keep the movement alive.