For about an hour Thursday afternoon, Turlington Plaza resembled the Israeli-Palestinian border.
There was a distinct divide between more than 200 Israeli supporters and 15 Palestinian supporters. While the Palestinian defenders’ numbers were small, their yells made up for their lacking headcount.
Both sides of the border have a decades-long history of bloodshed over cultural and religious tensions. There has been an increase in violent attacks over the past month, including several stabbings and shootings.
UF Lubavitch-Chabad Jewish Student Center organized a rally on the plaza to show support for Israel and pray for the victims and the country.
"People throughout Israel are under constant threat," said Rabbi Berl Goldman of Lubavitch-Chabad. "We need to do what we can — physically, spiritually and emotionally."
Goldman began the rally by addressing the crowd of about 200 students, most of whom sympathized with Israel. Some wore yamakas and others tied Israeli flags around their necks as they gathered to listen.
"There’s no doubt the people of Israel are alive," Goldman told the crowd.
Goldman urged an end to the violence, hatred and apathy currently affecting Israel. He said people must inform themselves of the country’s current reality.
Midway through the rally, Goldman began a patriotic chant, and the crowd interlocked arms and swayed.
"Long live the state of Israel," the students chanted in Hebrew before reciting the Israeli national anthem.
After a few minutes, faintly audible over the couple hundred voices, impassioned chants from behind the crowd rose up.
"Viva, Viva, Palestina! Free, Free Palestine!" the protesters yelled, signs in hand. "Netanyahu, shame on you. Palestinians are people, too!"
The counter-protest, organized by Students for Justice in Palestine at UF, aimed to educate students about the discrimination and oppression Palestinians suffer at the hands of Israel, said Brian Feldman, a member of SJP.
"We believe that solidarity for Israel is in itself a racist statement," the UF political science senior said. "It implies solidarity with oppression and occupation."
Feldman, 22, said the Israeli military has indiscriminately targeted Palestinians for decades, bombing homes and families.
"This is not a religious issue," he said. "It is a basic human rights issue."
On the other end of Turlington, Rabbi Goldman looked on at the protesters.
"That’s pure rhetoric and nonsense," he said of Feldman’s claims. "When you scream, it doesn’t make you right."
UF electrical engineering senior Shir Arzuhan stood near the Israeli side of the Plaza with a white-and-blue flag tied around her neck.
The 22-year-old said Thursday wasn’t her first time attending a rally of this nature.
"I’m sad we have to come here so often," she said.
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Farna Tahir, left front, a 21-year-old UF sociology senior, and Najla Faddoul, a 19-year-old UF nutrition and prephramacy sophomore, yell "Viva, Viva Palestina," and "No justice, no peace," at the Israel solidarity rally and prayer event on Turlington Plaza on Oct. 15, 2015. "We are trying to give light to the other side," Tahir said. "Palestinians are dying too, if not in more numbers."
