Thousands of people attended a rally marking 60 years since the Palestinian Nakba in the village of Kfar Qana on Friday. The event was organized by the Islamic Movement's northern branch.
Deputy head of the northern branch, Sheikh Kamel Khatib, said in his speech during the rally that the Palestinian people were "the past, the present and the future of this land."
Thousands attend rally (Photo: Hagai Aharon)
Khatib told participants, "Do not despair - we shall soon return to our land." He also declared that the State of Israel was in danger and was forsaking its Zionist values. "It's enough to look at the political corruption that involves all the members of the government."
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Nakba rally ends with clashes between police officers, demonstrators; five officers, several protesters injured |
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According to the sheikh, the fact that the Holocaust failed to destroy the Jewish people should serve as proof to Israelis that their attempt to "perpetrate genocide of the Palestinian people" was bound to fail.
"Sixty years of land seizures, 60 years of Judaization, 60 years of undermining our liberty and culture. They try to scare us, to threaten us with wars.
"Sixty years they have asked us to be Israeli Arabs and tried cutting us off of the Islamic nation. But their plan has failed," Khatib proclaimed.
Only two Arab MKs, Talab el-Sana and Abas Zkoor attended the event.
Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the Islamic Movement's northern branch, delivered a harsh speech at the rally: "I say to the architects of the Zionist project – for every Palestinian child you have murdered we will bring 10 new children. For every house you have destroyed we will build 10 houses and for every olive tree you have uprooted we will plant 10 trees."
According to Salah, "The voice of the right of return is louder than the Israeli occupation. The voice of the right of return will defeat the murderers and occupiers. I call on the refugees: We await you here."
Head of the Israeli Arab Higher Monitoring Committee Shawki Khatib said in his speech: "The Zionist project and the Zionist mentality wanted to control the land and prove that they were founded on an empty, nation-less land.
"Zionism has attempted to change and rewrite history, but no one can change the reality on the ground."
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