Over a dozen people gathered March 20 on one of Napes busiest intersections to show support for Israel, waving Israeli and American flags as passing cars honked in support.
The rally, organized by the Solidarity With Israel Coalition, attracted community members from across the Naples area.
“It’s amazing to be here in that crowd. What I’m seeing are a lot of people honking their horns in support of us, and they're really happy that we're standing out here, bringing attention to this cause,” said Christian demonstrator Melissa Mason.
Nammie Ichilov, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, explained the purpose of the rally, held at Airport-Pulling Road North and Pine Ridge Road.
“It’s about recognizing the hostages still being held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza," Ichilov said. We have many interfaith fellowship members here today standing in solidarity with us and supporting Israel and everything it’s been going through since [Oct.] 7.”
It has been more than a year since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas, the militant group in power in Gaza, where 59 hostages remain in captivity.
For many of the rally attendees, the memory of that day remains vivid.
“I remember the shock as everything began to unravel," said Graham Berg, who attended the rally. "I realized the extreme nature of the situation, which was just horrific and unbelievable. I can’t recall exactly where I was, but I remember the feeling.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently ended a cease-fire in Gaza that had been in place since January. Both Israel and the United States blamed the resumption of hostilities on Hamas’ refusal to release more hostages before negotiations to end the war could proceed.
“I’m not a big fan of Netanyahu, but at this moment, I’m not sure he had a lot of choices," Berg said. "What else could he do? Leave the hostages there while Hamas didn’t respond at all? I think Hamas itself doesn’t know what to do.”
Despite the demonstrators' show of solidarity with Israel, perspectives on long-term solutions varied among participants.
“I’m in favor of a two-state solution," Berg said. "I think Gazan civilians are as much a victim as Israel's a victim. I have no doubt that, in reality, they don’t want the death and destruction. But they feel unable or unwilling to push Hamas out of power.”
Berg's perspective contrasted with that of other rally participants.
“It doesn’t look likely. In the Bible, God gave us the land and set its boundaries. Currently, Israel occupies only a small portion of that land. So, at this point, I don’t see a two-state anything,” Janine Rutherford said.
For Jewish community members present, the rally represented more than just political discourse. The organizer underscored the importance of community solidarity amid these complex discussions.
“We’re grateful to the broader non-Jewish community of greater Naples who are supporting us while we are supporting Israel," Ichilov said. "It’s very difficult to be a minority group challenged with trying to maintain a love and support of our brethren across the globe. So, for us, it's really about appreciating the support that we're getting from our neighbors here.”
As traffic continued to flow through the busy intersection, rally participants remained resolute in their message of solidarity, determined to keep the plight of the hostages in the public eye — even as they grappled with differing visions for the future.
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