Tisíce židů a Arabů v Tel Avivu společně demonstrovaly proti rasismu a demolicím palestinských domů, čtvrtí a vesnic v Izraeli

V sobotu večer se do ulic Tel Avivu vydalo asi 5000 lídí, aby vyjádřili nesouhlas s demolicemi palestinských domů v Kalansua a Umm al-Hiran a záměru izraelské vlády v demoliční kampani domů Palestinců v Izraeli nadále pokračovat.

Na demonstraci zazněly projevy jak v hebrejštině, tak arabštině a vidět byly jak izraelské, tak palestinské vlajky.

Amal Abu Sad, vdova po učiteli matematiky Jakubu Abu al-Kiyanovi, kterého izraelská policie zastřelila během demoliční razie v beuduínské vesnici Umm al-Hiran v Negevu na jihu Izraele demonstrantům řekla:

"Je důležité, abych tady stála a mluvila s vámi a poslala vzkaz premiérovi a ministrům: Napříč jejich divokému podněcování k nenávisti, rasismu a diskriminaci v oblastech výstavby infrastruktury, vládních služeb, legislativě a jejímu násilnému prosazování - neuspějí v rozdělení občanů této země. Všichni, kteří tu dnes stojíte, jste důkazem toho, že židé a Arabové mohou a chtějí žít spolu v zemi, kde budou mít rovná práva."

OSN: za rok 2016 Izraelci zbourali nebo zabrali 1500 domů Palestinců, 154 v okupovaném Východním Jeruzalémě, jde o rekordní počty

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Thousands of people, Arabs and Jews, marched Saturday evening in Tel Aviv in a protest against the house demolitions in Kalansua and Umm al-Hiran in recent weeks, and against further steps to demolish more homes.

Organizers said some 5,000 protestors participated in the march, which began at the intersection of King George an Allenby Streets and ended in Dizengoff Square.

A number of Jewish and Arab organizations participated in organizing the demonstration, which the organizers termed a new stage in the civil struggle of Jews and Arabs. The speeches were given in Arabic and Hebrew, and marchers waved both Israeli and Palestinian flags.

Amal Abu Sa'ad, the widow of Yakub Abu al-Kiyan, who was killed during the operation to demolish illegal homes in the unrecognized Bedouin village of Umm al-Hiran in the Negev last month, addressed the protesters: "It is important to me to stand here and speak to you and pass on the message to the prime minister and ministers: Despite your wild incitement, the racism and discrimination in legislation, enforcement, infrastructure and government services - you will not succeed in dividing between the country's citizens. All of you, who are standing here today, you are proof that Jews and Arabs can and want to live together and with equality."

She called on the government to establish an independent investigative commission to investigate the evacuation of Umm al-Hiran. Al-Kiyan was killed by police when he ran over and killed police Sgt. Maj. Erez Levi and injured another officer with his car.
MK Ayman Odeh, the head of the Joint List, spoke: "Thousands of people have come here today, Arabs and Jews, from all over the country to cry out against the government attack on the Arab population and to call for equality, recognition of the unrecognized villages, and in a demand to establish an official state commission of inquiry to examine all the events surrounding the brutal evacuation of Umm al-Hiran," said Odeh.

MK Dov Khenin (Joint List) said: "The thousands who demonstrated this evening in Tel Aviv are sounding a voice of hope and sanity, facing a government that chooses incitement and hatred. We know that incitement is the last refuge of those who have failed."

The Higher Arab Monitoring Committee said they had decided to step up their appeal to Israeli and international public opinion. Hundreds of Jewish citizens have participated in the recent protests against house demolitions, said Raja Za'atra of Hadash, who chairs the party's subcommittee responsible for contact with the Israeli public.

Since the establishment of the Joint List, more politicians in the Arab community see strategic importance in building bridges for dialogue and cooperation with the democratic forces in Israeli society, said Za'atra. This is especially true in light of the ramping up of racism and the harsh attacks by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government against the Arab public and democracy, he added.

Jack Khoury
Haaretz Correspondent