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Zahalka convinced Israel's leaders are 'mad'
Photo: Ronen Boidek
Photo: Uri Porat
Khatib: Holocaust in Gaza
Photo: Uri Porat
Photo: Niv Calderon
Barakeh: Arab population will not remain silent
Photo: Niv Calderon

'Someone planning new holocaust'

Thousands of Israeli Arabs protest Gaza operation; Monitoring Committee Chairman warns of 'new holocaust'; Knesset Member Zahalka says Arab community infuriated, slams 'madness' displayed by Israel's leaders

Thousands of people, including Arab-Israeli Knesset members, marched in the streets of the northern town of Umm al-Fahm Tuesday evening to protest "Israel's crimes" and the "massacre," as they characterized it, committed by the IDF against Gaza's civilian population.

 

The protestors were carrying PLO and black flags, as well as signs such as "Say no to killing and no to starvation of the Palestinian people."

 

"Take note: Someone is planning a new holocaust in Gaza," said Higher Arab Monitoring Committee Shawki Khatib in his speech. "We will not stand idle in the face of the blood spilling in Gaza, the blood of our children and women; we're one body. The massacre in Gaza shall end and the occupation shall run away from there."

 

Khatib also slammed the Arab world for failing to express its support for Gaza residents.

 

"They're not criticizing. They're embarrassed to even talk," he said. "Israeli leaders should learn from history – there are no forceful solutions."

 

Arab-Israelis are infuriated over Israel's operation in Gaza, Knesset Member Jamal Zahalka said during the protest rally.

 

"The Arab public is angry at the Israeli government, which is committing war crimes in Gaza and threatening to continue them," he said. "Olmert's and Barak's madness must be stopped. If they continue refusing a ceasefire, it should be forced upon them in order to spare the blood of innocents."

 

'Catastrophic plans'

Meanwhile Knesset Member Mohammad Barakeh the demonstration was held to protest the "prime minister's and defense minister's catastrophic plans."

 

"The Arab population will not remain silent. This is just one protest in a series of demonstrations held across the country as of Friday," he said. "We feel discontent among the Arab-Palestinian population in Israel."

 

In an emergency session held Sunday by the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, participants decided to formulate a proposal for a Palestinian national unity agreement between Hamas and Fatah. The meeting, which was attended by most Arab Knesset members, dealt with the importance of unity among different Palestinian factions in the face of IDF operations in the Gaza Strip.

 


פרסום ראשון: 03.04.08, 20:34
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