Supporters of Israel hold rally in Seoul, urge Hamas to stop atrocities

Supporters of Israel took to the streets in Seoul on Tuesday, urging Hamas militants to stop their killing of civilians, as war continues to escalate between the two sides.

The Solidarity with Israel rally, hosted by the Korea-Israel Friendship Association and the Israel Forum civic groups, took place near the Gwanghwamun Station, in central Seoul, following two pro-Palestinian rallies last week.

The rally was attended by Israeli Ambassador to Korea Akiva Tor, Korea-Israel Friendship Association Chairman Hwang Woo-yeo, President of the Israel Forum Kim Jin-seop, and Joy M. Sakurai, the deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Seoul, as well as some 500 Koreans and Israelis living in Korea.

Calling Hamas a terror group, not a legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, Hwang, a former politician and education minister, urged the militant group to stop killing people.

"Blinded and obsessed by anger, Hamas is committing a massacre and we must stop this atrocity," he said.

Ambassador Tor condemned the war but said that the enemy of Israel is Hamas, not the Palestinian people and the people of Gaza.

Sakurai, who attended the rally on behalf of US Ambassador to Seoul Philip Goldberg, also said the US stands with Israel. “There is no justification for terrorism, there is no excuse. Israel has the right and duty to defend itself against the brutal attack of Hamas and to make sure this never happens again,” she said.

“We would also like to applaud the Korean government for supporting Israel and standing against the unjustified atrocity committed (against) civilians by Hamas,” she added.

At the end of the rally, the participants chanted the slogan “Return the hostages, surrender immediately, we support peace in Israel.”