Hundreds rally in Seoul to support Israel as ground war looms

Hundreds of Koreans and Israelis in Korea rallied to support Israel in Seoul on Tuesday as top diplomats from Israel and the United States stood side-by-side to voice support for the Jewish state in the wake of Hamas's brutal attack on Oct. 7…

The flags of Israel and Korea held by participants of a rally in Seoul on Tuesday in support of Israel in the wake of the Hamas militant group's attack on Israel and the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. [NEWS1]

Hundreds of Koreans and Israelis in Korea rallied to support Israel in Seoul on Tuesday as top diplomats from Israel and the United States stood side-by-side to voice support for the Jewish state in the wake of Hamas's brutal attack on Oct. 7.

"Thank you to all the Jewish and Israeli people living in Korea for coming today to Gwanghwamun and not giving in to fear or anxiety," said Akiva Tor, ambassador of Israel to Korea, addressing the crowd gathered near Gwanghwamun Station in Seoul on Tuesday, many waving the flag of Israel. "I would like to thank the Republic of Korea's government for its strong statements of condemnation of the Hamas atrocities and for being a friend to Israel."

The rally, organized by the Korea-Israel Friendship Association and Israel Forum, was joined by some 200 participants, according to the organizers.

As the Israeli army prepares for a ground offensive in Gaza, Tor assured the audience that the Israeli forces will "conduct war at all times like a NATO army."

"Purity of arms is the deep DNA of the Israel Defense Forces," he said. "The Palestinian people are not the enemy of Israel, nor are the people of Gaza.

"We are clear in our aims," he added. "The Hamas terror organization will not retain any ability to harm Israel at the end of this struggle."

Israel's Ambassador to Kore Akiva Tor repeats the words of the rabbi, right, as he reads aloud from the book of Psalms during the rally in Seoul on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

Tor was joined by the U.S. deputy chief of mission in Seoul, Joy Sakurai, who voiced "crystal clear" U.S. support for Israel.

"On behalf of the United States, let me be crystal clear: the United States stands with Israel," she said. "There is no justification for terrorism; there is no excuse. Israel has the right and duty to defend itself against these brutal attacks from Hamas and try to do what they can to make sure this never happens again."

Alluding to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's recent trips to the Middle East and the upcoming trip by President Joe Biden to Israel scheduled for Wednesday, Sakurai said the U.S. was engaged with countries in the region "so that people can get out of harm's way."

She also thanked the Korean government for its leadership in recently flying not only Korean nationals out of Israel on a military plane but also the citizens of Japan, Singapore and others.

U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission in Seoul Joy Sakurai speaks in support of Israel during the rally in Seoul on Tuesday organized by the Korea-Israel Friendship Association and Israel Forum. [YONHAP]

President Yoon Suk Yeol condemned the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 11, four days after the militant group staged an unprecedented attack on Israel, killing more than 1,400 people, including civilians, according to the Israeli military.

The Israeli military forces told residents of Gaza to leave their homes this week before further airstrikes and a ground invasion. The Palestinian Health Ministry put the death toll in Gaza at 2,670 as of Sunday.

Tor and U.S. Ambassador to Korea Philip Goldberg were scheduled to speak at a rally for Israel in Seoul on Oct. 13, but it was canceled at the last minute due to unforeseen events, according to the Embassy of Israel in Korea.

Earlier last week, several civic groups, including the Workers' Solidarity, hosted rallies in Seoul to support Palestine.

A rally held in support of Palestine in Seoul on Sunday. Participants, ranging from Koreans to citizens of Egypt, Jordan and other countries in the region, uphold signs urging Israel to stop bombing Gaza. [YONHAP]

"For the past 75 years, Israel has driven out and massacred Palestinians, who have lived in the land of Palestine for thousands of years," said a participant of a rally held near the embassy in Seoul on Oct. 13. "This is the source all this tragedy happening now."

Some 500 people, including Palestinians and citizens of Egypt, Jordan and other countries, marched in Itaewon last Sunday in support of Palestine.

On Tuesday, some rally-goers in support of Israel in Seoul stressed the importance of saving and protecting civilians.

"When we heard about what happened in Israel, we were devastated and shocked," said Sharona Oshriel, who has been in Korea for a few months with her family. "We are so far away and wanted to show our support by attending the rally."

An Israeli soldier walks past a house destroyed by Hamas militants in Kibbutz Be'eri, Israel, on Oct. 11. [AP/YONHAP]

Oshriel is a nurse with experience treating children, including the Palestinians in Gaza.

"I know that there are sick children in Gaza that cannot get treatment because the borders are closed," she said. "It is very sad for both sides."

Dor Twena, who was visiting Korea with his brother when the war broke out, condemned the Hamas militant group for targeting civilians in its attacks. Some of his friends were killed in the group's attack on Oct. 7.

"That's not the right way to free Palestine," he said. "The Palestinian people might be good people, but the organization that is controlling them is a terror organization."

Koreans gathered at the rally also expressed concerns regarding the civilian casualties.

"What Hamas did in Israel was not an act of war but of terrorism," said Hwang Woo-yea, former deputy prime minister of Korea and president of the Korea-Israel Friendship Association. "We need to stand with Israel and stop the atrocities committed by Hamas."

The rally on Tuesday was also joined by a Jewish rabbi who read out loud a chapter from the book of Psalms, and a violinist who played "I have no other country" by Ehud Manor.

An Israeli participant of the rally in Seoul on Tuesday wipes her tears as she listens to a performance of "I have no other country." [YONHAP]

BY ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]