VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — For the last 365 days, there has been tension in the Middle East.
However, it doesn't seem like the conflict will come to a halt any time soon, according to community members in Hampton Roads.
"Unfortunately, with the expansion of the war and the expansion of territories being occupied it doesn't look like it's going to end soon," said Ismael Saleem with Masjid William Salaam, a mosque in Norfolk.
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Saleem told News 3 that the conflict happening an ocean away is affecting members of the Muslim community in Hampton Roads.
"We still feel that Oct. 7 was a symptom of something that happened previously something that was rooted in the land that is currently in depute right now that happened 100 years prior to that and that was just an act of resistance," said Saleem.
For some members of the Jewish community, the conflict feels like a repeat of history.
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"We (the Jewish people) have to learn how to fight back the poor Jews of Europe during world war two were not taught and caught by surprise," explained Rabbi Israel Zoberman of Virginia Beach.
Zoberman's two sisters are living close to the violence and distress in Israel.
"They have to hid at night in a special shelter within their condos so if god forbid the bombs they hear above them would not happen to fall on their houses," explained Zoberman. "They cannot really just walk outside freely because you only have about 90 seconds to find shelter once you hear the sirens," said Zoberman.
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Saleem and Zoberman believe a stop to this fighting is no easy feat.
"I think the United States is in a precarious position and the position that would be able to stop it, but seemingly both parties are interested in continuing this conflict without a resolution in the near future," said Saleem.
"Iran has to be forced to have some peaceful arrangement it's very hard to change the mind of dictators," added Zoberman. "Nazi germany did not submit to us easily,"
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Until then, both community members want to see Americans on both sides come together.
"I think if Muslim Jews and Christians got together in this country we could help our politicians in the right direction in terms of having a solution that is great for both parties for Jewish people and for Muslim people and for Christians," said Saleem.
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