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Jan 6, 2009 5:01 pm US/Eastern
South Floridians Hit Hard By Gaza/Israel Conflict
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) ―
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An Israeli army artillery battery fires a smoke bomb into the Gaza Strip from the border on January 6, 2009.
Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images
The ongoing crisis between Hamas and Israel is having a major impact on Middle Easterners living in South Florida.
For 11 days now, Ameer Ghourra has only left his Plantation house three times. He's glued to the television, waiting for the latest information from Gaza. Ghourra is from Gaza City; already, three of his relatives have been killed in the fighting.
"That first Saturday this attack took place, that's when they lost their lives," he explained. A missile from an F-16 killed them. Ghourra says they were civilians who had just arrived at work. Making it even worse, Ghourra can no longer call his family, since phone lines are down.
Corinne Farkash has her eyes on the news, as well. Her family lives in Israel, and many are tied to the military. "I also have cousins who are police officers, fire rescue," she told CBS4 Reporter Ted Scouten. "Although they are out of harms way, they're rushing in to help others."
Farkash and Ghourra would probably not agree on many things, but both have one thing in common: they want the violence to end, leaving their friends and families to live in peace and safety.
Ghourra is hoping for a meaningful cease-fire. "I call for a peace treaty between the Israelis and the Palestinians, a treaty that is satisfactory to both parties."
"I just try to send out my positive thoughts to my family, those who are in the army, those who are not in the army, those who are just living there," Farkash said. "You can't live your life in fear and when you live in Israel, you just have to keep pushing yourself."
The South Florida Jewish Arab Dialog Association (JADA) and The American Muslim Association of North America (AMANA) will hold a meeting on Tuesday evening at 7:30 PM to organize joint actions in support of a ceasefire in the current fighting in Gaza. The meeting will be held at AMANA's office, located at 183 NE 166 Street in North Miami Beach.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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