Thousands rally against government policies in Tel Aviv
4,000 protestors turned out for a march and protest rally in Rabin Square against what protestors call 'racist government policies' that are driving Arabs and Jews further apart due to discrimination.
The march comes at a time of tension, with illegal buildings being demolished in Qalansawe and Umm al-Hiran in the Negev, where Yaqoub Abu al-Qiyan was shot to death after running over a group of police officers with his vehicle.
Demonstrators began the protest march at the intersection of Allenby and King George, where they then proceeded to Rabin Square to hold a rally. Protestors, including Jews and Arabs, called for an end to incitement and racism and for “Jews and Arabs to cease being enemies.”
Public figures are expected to speak at the rally including Knesset members and Amal Abu Saad, the wife of Yaqoub al-Qiyan, who said, “We demand an independent inquiry. Since the incident, no one has spoken to us and explained what happened. We are citizens of Israel and we want to be treated with respect. I want to be like everyone else. I want the same respect they gave to residents of Amona. We demand to know the truth behind the incident.”
The event was organized by some 20 human rights organizations, including the organization “Standing Together,” the Council of Unrecognized Villages in the Negev, Meretz, Hadash, Rabbis for Human Rights and others.
Majed Abu Bilal, a resident of Rahat and activist with Standing Together, said, “We set out to protest together today—Jews and Arabs—against the racism of this government, which is destroying Arab homes in Qalansawe and Umm al-Hiran, sending police officers prepared for war and at the same time, promoting the regulation for the takeover of Palestinian lands. We want to say that there is another way—that all citizens are equal. Together we can build a common future, for all of us.”
