(Minghui.org) Practitioners peacefully rallied outside the Chinese Embassy in Tel Aviv on July 20, 2023, to mark the 24 years they have exposed the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of Falun Dafa. Several political figures and scholars in Israel came to the rally or sent letters to support practitioners and to condemn the ongoing persecution.
Practitioners held a rally near the Chinese Embassy in Tel Aviv, on July 20, 2023
Practitioners held banners in Hebrew with information about the persecution near the Chinese Embassy in Tel Aviv on July 20, 2023
Former Minister: The evidence does not allow any decent human being to be at peace
Rabbi Michael Melchior, former Minister of Social and Diaspora Affairs, sent a letter to the rally and his representative read it. Rabbi Melchior wrote that although many countries and organizations claim that protesting against the Chinese communist regime is futile, “We know that this is not true. The Chinese regime is extremely sensitive to any criticism from home and abroad and therefore reacts so strongly against all those who protest against the terrible injustices that simply cannot be denied.”
He urged the Israeli public to stand in solidarity with Falun Dafa practitioners in calling for an end to the persecution.
“We declare, as members of the Jewish People and as human beings: Stop the persecution of millions of Chinese citizens! Stop the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, the persecution of the Tibetans, the persecution of the Uyghurs, and the organ harvesting,” Rabbi Melchior wrote.
“The evidence [of persecution] does not allow any decent human being to be at peace.”
Former Government Adviser: The voice of conscience will break through the walls of evil
Rabbi Michael Pua addressed the rally and said, “The voice of conscience, even of a few people, that will break through the walls of evil.”
Rabbi Michael Pua is a former adviser to an Israeli government minister. He encouraged practitioners to keep making their voices heard, even though they face the CCP’s blockade. “Twenty four years ago, the evil regime in China started to persecute the Falun Gong practitioners,” he said. “A few years later the walls of evil and the iron walls were breached and the information about the persecution came out.”
Rabbi Pua told practitioners, “You are the voice of justice and the voice of conscience! I thank everyone who is here. It is this voice that should continue being heard.”
He believes that justice will prevail and that the practitioners in China will be free to follow their belief some day, as long as kindhearted people keep speaking up. “Even if it is the voices of only a few, [the voice of justice] will win eventually. Continue persistently to call for the abolition of the rule of evil,” he said.
Rabbi Pua warned the perpetrators of the persecution that their actions will be judged. “Our struggle will continue, the voice of conscience, even of a few people, will break the walls of evil and you, the persecutors, will be held accountable. You will be judged by history and pay a terrible price for the crimes you are committing.”
Former Israeli Parliament Member: The Chinese regime must immediately end the persecution
In his letter, Mossi Raz, former member of the Israeli Parliament (Knesset), condemned the CCP for its atrocious crimes against Falun Gong practitioners in China, and demanded an end to the persecution. “The Chinese government must stop the organ harvesting and persecution of Falun Gong and release all political prisoners from the prisons and guarantee their freedom,” he wrote.
He also called upon more people and organizations around the world to support practitioners in their efforts. “After 24 years of brutal crimes against Falun Gong, the world already knows, and keeps silent,” he wrote.
College Head: Everyone must protest
Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, head of Ataret Yerushalayim Yeshiva, sent a letter to support the rally. He listed the many abuses that Falun Gong practitioners have endured over the past 24 years, and urged the public to take action.
“We cannot sit quietly when [Falun Gong practitioners] in China have suffered various forms of persecution from the government, including brutal propaganda against them, arbitrary imprisonments, concentration camps, slaughtering, and organ harvesting, i.e. the sale of organs for transplantation that costs their lives,” he wrote.
“If there is evil in the world, and everyone is silent, there is no hope. If you express opposition, it will help eventually,” wrote Rabbi Aviner. “Everyone must protest. We must all purify the air of this world.”
Rabbi Urges Practitioners to Continue Protesting
Dr. Michael Avraham is a rabbi at Bar-Ilan University’s Institute of Advanced Torah Studies. In his letter he urged practitioners to keep persevering in their efforts to expose the CCP’s persecution, even though the Chinese regime may appear powerful.
“We must protest against such barbaric behavior and mass imprisonment of (tens of) thousands, who are being tortured to death for doing nothing wrong,” he wrote. “We must not despair in the face of the imperviousness and power of the Chinese authorities.”
Rabbi Avraham also urged more people around the world to rise above the power and influence of the CCP and end the persecution of practitioners.
“I call on the Chinese government to come to their senses and behave in a humane and civilized manner. I call on all of us to continue protesting and not remain silent. I call on the governments of the world and the international community to take practical steps to stop (the persecution). We should not shy away from (evil) power, and not surrender to narrow interests,” he wrote.
Doctor of Psychology: Falun Gong is a beacon of light in the world.
Dr. Oz Guterman, university lecturer, spoke at the rally in Tel Aviv on July 20, 2023 and said, “A world without compassion is a dangerous world to live in.”
Dr. Oz Guterman is a senior lecturer at Bar-Ilan University with a Ph.D in psychology. He told the rally attendees that a vicious persecution like the CCP’s against Falun Gong is dangerous for the rest of the world. He said that when people have no compassion for these horrible crimes, the CCP will be emboldened to continue its crimes, and in the end, these atrocities will spread around the world. “A world without compassion is a dangerous world to live in,” he said.
Dr. Guterman added, “Falun Gong today is a beacon of light in the world.” He said that Falun Gong’s contribution to the world is simply tremendous and that the practitioners are exposing the way communism endangers our freedom and health.
He said, “Those who care about freedom and liberty in the world are the Falun Gong practitioners.”
Falun Dafa Association President: Practitioners pay a heavy price
Vadim Berestetsky, president of the Falun Dafa Association in Israel
Vadim Berestetsky, president of the Falun Dafa Association in Israel, said that this is a sad day, because even after 24 years of persecution, chilling evidence of organ harvesting, murder, torture, and abuse of Falun Gong practitioners continues to surface.
He added that it is also a day of hope because the courage of Falun Gong practitioners in China still protects the future of China as well as the world. He said that the practitioners in China are fighting for the world’s right to live in a society that has truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance.
“Practitioners pay a heavy price because they understand that the price of silence will be even heavier,” he said.
Falun Dafa Information Center Director: We continue to expose the persecution
Yaniv Nitzan, the director of the Falun Dafa Information Center of Israel, addressed the rally and said, “I am full of hope that more kind-hearted people will express a clear position to stop the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.”
Yaniv Nitzan, the director of the Falun Dafa Information Center of Israel said that on July 20, 1999, 100 million people were transformed into public enemies due to the whims of the Chinese Communist government. “The evidence and testimonies coming out of China reveal cruelty and evil beyond imagination,” he said.
He pointed out that when a brutal regime persecutes people who choose to live according to truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance, a situation arises where there are two conflicting sides—a good side and a bad side. Each person has to choose which side he supports.
“We will not stop clarifying the truth about what is happening in China until the persecution stops,” said Nitzan
Epoch Magazine CEO: The truth will prevail
Dor Levinter, CEO of Epoch Magazine in Israel, speaks at the rally in Tel Aviv.
Dor Levinter, CEO of Epoch Magazine in Israel, spoke of how the Epoch Times newspaper follows the persecution and exposes it, and how the Chinese regime harasses the newspaper in various ways for bringing its atrocities to light.
He pointed to the Chinese Embassy and said, “The truth is completely revealed before heaven.
“The truth will prevail!” he said.
Photographer Admires Practitioners
Alex, a photographer from Tel Aviv, said he admired practitioners’ persistence.
Alex, a photographer who lives in Tel Aviv, heard about Falun Dafa for the first time at the rally. He condemned the CCP’s persecution, and said, “No regime in the world has a monopoly on people and on what they think or believe.” He said that the persecution should be protested against.
Regarding the practitioners in China who have been persecuted for 24 years, who do not give up and continue to defend their values, he said, “This is admirable!”
He said, “I want to tell (Falun Dafa) practitioners to continue to demonstrate your great power as human beings, to believe in what you are doing and to fight your rights.”
Teacher: Forces of good will win
Danny Argaman, a teacher from Jerusalem, attended the rally.
Danny Argaman, a teacher from Jerusalem, came to the rally after seeing a post by Rabbi Aviner on social media. He said he felt he had to come to the rally because he understood that exposing the persecution is of utmost importance.
He added that even though Falun Dafa’s belief is in non-material spiritual values, the CCP requires all people to follow its own ideology in order to control China.
“No matter how much power the Chinese regime has, those who will win in the end are hope and the forces of good,” said Argaman.
Background: What Is Falun Dafa and Why Is the CCP Persecuting It?
Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China, in 1992. The spiritual discipline is now practiced in over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Millions of people who have embraced the teachings, which are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and have learned the five exercises, have experienced improved health and well-being.
Jiang Zemin, former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perceived the spiritual discipline’s growing popularity as a threat to the CCP’s atheistic ideology and on July 20, 1999, he issued an order to eradicate the practice.
Under Jiang’s personal direction, the CCP established the 610 Office, an extralegal security organization with the power to override the police and judicial systems and whose sole function is to carry out the persecution of Falun Dafa.
Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners as a result of the persecution over the past 24 years. The actual number is believed to be much higher. Countless practitioners have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith.
There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply China’s organ transplant industry.
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Category: July 20 Events
