Intimidation of and violence against Jews in Seattle is once again being met with deafening silence. A pro-Palestinian rally at Westlake Park last Sunday quickly turned into a frenzy of hate against supporters of Israel who had peacefully gathered nearby and those quietly in the crowd, identified and deemed to be Zionists. Rhythmic chants reverberated loudly among those in attendance. "Hey hey, ho ho, Israel has got to go," "free free free Palestine" and "the Palestinians are oppressed, boycott, sanction and divest," and more on the desired eradication of the State of Israel. Elected officials and current candidates for public office were among the speakers. One speaker called on the crowd to remove a couple holding an Israeli flag and a sign which read "Make Peace Not War." In response, a group of 40, several dressed in black paramilitary gear, surrounded the couple, ripped away their Israeli flag, stomped on it and set it ablaze. As the couple tried to flee, the young woman was grabbed and dragged from behind. Others who had come in peaceful support for Israel were similarly assaulted. For most Seattleites, the horrors of the "Nakba 73" rally went unnoticed. Media coverage has been almost nonexistent, and no elected officials representing the city have spoken out to condemn these violent attacks and rhetoric against religious minorities in our city. Why do individuals proclaiming to be the keepers of openness, liberalism and justice not reject Hamas, a murderous terror organization? Why is this terrorist organization not broadly condemned here? Why do many in this region remain impassive when facing some forms of hatred and discrimination and not others? The Westlake rally took place the day after the anniversary of the end of the British Mandate of Palestine in 1948, the same day as Israel's independence was declared. This marked the 73rd anniversary of what many Palestinians call the Nakba, or disaster. At the time of the rally, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist organization that currently governs Gaza, already had fired more than 3,500 rockets into Israel. Founded in 1987, Hamas is dedicated to eliminating the State of Israel and has opposed Arab leaders who have expressed a willingness to deal with Israel, including Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. "Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before," states the Hamas charter.