Knesset Member Mohammad Barakeh (Hadash) on Sunday slammed Israeli society for remaining quiet over the killing of Arab Israeli citizens during the October 2000 riots and accused Israel of embracing policies aimed at driving out its Arab citizens.
Barakeh was speaking during a ceremony held at Haifa University to mark the 50th anniversary of the Kfar Qassem massacre in 1956 when 49 Arabs were killed by Israeli soldiers patrolling the border with Jordan.
National Democratic Assembly MK Jamal Zahalka (L) (Photo: Vadim Daniel)
Barakeh said Israeli society had become inured to the killing of Arab Israeli citizens by security forces, charging that most Israelis justify the killing of 13 Arab Israeli citizens by policemen during the October 2000 riots.
"In 1956 people were ashamed, they felt uneasy with the massacre. Today the mainstream of Israeli society justifies … the killing of 13 Israeli citizens during the events of October 2000," he said.
Hundreds of Arab Israeli citizens blocked roads and hurled stones at cars and security forces in the north in a show of support for the second Palestinian uprising that broke out a month earlier.
On October 29, 1956, a curfew was imposed on Kfar Qassam, but unaware of the restrictive measure dozens of villagers returned to the village and were shot and killed.
The massacre sparked public protests which led to the trial of 13 soldiers, eight of whom were found guilty and sentenced to prison terms.