Arkansas Pro-Palestine group supports the protest in Memphis and offers feedback on related actions

Little Rock, Arkansas – Pro-Palestine demonstrators against the Israeli-Palestinian conflict forced the temporary closure of the Interstate 40 bridge connecting Arkansas and Tennessee on Saturday, close to Memphis.

Ebrahim Abunasrah, the founder of the Little Rock-based Palestine organization Peace of Palestine, stated that too many lives have been lost for anyone to ignore the situation. He thinks the Memphis incident will make it clear that their views must be heard.

“I think it’s important for actions like these to be taken so people can get it in the media, and our voices can be heard,” Abunasrah said. “We’ve been in the streets, we’ve been in the streets every single week since Oct. 7th and unfortunately that has not gotten the attention that we’ve wanted.”

According to Abunasrah, the rising death toll among Palestinian nationals is affecting their mental health. He claimed that on top of the suffering they are going through, Governor Sarah Sanders rudely and falsely commented on the protest in Memphis on social media.

“She called it a Pro-Hamas gathering, we are not Pro-Hamas, Memphis voices for Palestine is not Pro-Hamas, we are pro-human,” he said.

All they want in Israel, says Abunasrah, is equal rights. He stated that their goal is to inform Arkansans about events taking place elsewhere.

Abunasrah could not completely rule out the prospect of a Little Rock protest akin to the one that took place in Memphis.

“We are working with the government and the LRPD to make sure we are following things from a legal perspective,” Abunasrah said. “We have a good relationship with both and we hope to continue that relationship.”

According to Abunasrah, they would be holding a cultural event on February 17 to discuss the reasons behind their ongoing protests. Governor Sanders is invited, he said.