Minister Herzog: Return to Herzl's Zionism
Protestors claim Israeli government erased equality from the Declaration of Independence
With the slogan "Fighting racism, returning to Zionism" a group of around 300 people, mostly students and youth group members gathered in Zion square on Wednesday. On the 15th anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, they asked those present to protest the Citizenship Act amendment.
A number of participants passed around and signed a copy of the original version of the Declaration of Independence, while a corresponding copy, "signed" by the government had all expressions of freedom and equality removed.
The protest was organized by the Blue Movements: Noar Oved, Hashomer Hatzair, and Machanot HaOlim. Peace Now and the National Left also took part.
Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog, MK Nachman Shai (Kadima) and MK Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz) spoke at the rally.
In his speech Herzog said that "Judaism and Zionism were not racist, just the opposite. This message will come from here, from Jerusalem our sacred capital". He noted that "we must return to classical Zionism, Herzl's Zionism".
'We need to take the country back' (Phtoto: Gil Yohanan)
MK Shai thanked participants for coming and stated that "This law will not pass if we fight together; we will win the battle against this law". MK Horowitz referred to the Memorial Day for Yitzhak Rabin and said "Today no one speaks enough about the fact that the man who tried to kill Rabin tried to kill the peace. Murder should not be allowed to win".
"Go away awful government; don't let the people requesting a loyalty oath to confuse you. They don't want loyalty, they want the opposite – to inflame hate," he added to cheers from the crowds.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the square a small group of protestors holding signs reading "Left wing traitors" and "Kahane was right" while calling out "Rabin ruined the country" attempted to interrupt the rally.
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