Thousands of Israel supporters gathered in Encino Wednesday to show their solidarity amid Israel’s bloody war with Hamas. It is the latest in a series of events organized in Southern California to show support for Israel after the surprise terrorist attack over the weekend.
One of the demonstrators at the rally, Joseph Samana, said supporters can’t not come out and show their support for the state of Israel.
“You have to show your support,” he told KTLA’s Rick Chambers. “It’s a must not an option.”
The more than 2,000-strong crowd shut down a stretch of Ventura Boulevard so their voices could be heard after the attack by Hamas.
“What we see, it’s evil and if we do not protest against it, it won’t be just in Israel,” another rallygoer, Iris Nofar said. “It will be against all the world.”
The rally was likely the largest in Los Angeles since the onset of the war.
“It’s crazy what’s going on over there,” Eden Benhamo said. “We have to show them love, show them support. We’re hoping everything is going to be okay over there.
“We are united, we are strong, and together we will save Israel,” Liat Haim said.
Many of the demonstrators have family and friends in Israel and some of them said that they plan to return to Israel themselves and do their part, even taking up arms and fighting in the war.