Leader of outlawed Islamic Movement visits Jaffa mourning tent
Sheikh Raed Salah meets with family of man who was killed in a police chase in Jaffa, vowing 'We will not accept this injustice... They will not silence us'; he blames Israel of 'doing an injustice to the Arabs, treating them with racism and carrying out executions.'
The head of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement, Sheikh Raed Salah, visited Monday the family of the man who was killed in Jaffa during a police chase in the city over the weekend.
Salah strongly condemned the police, "They publicly executed him, there is no justice. Whatever their claims, this behavior is unacceptable. We will not accept this injustice."
The 21-years-old man was killed early Saturday. An investigation into the incident found he was involved in a shooting at a butcher shop in the city. Policemen who arrived at the scene claimed he and his friends did not respond to officers' orders to halt and fled on scooters.
During the ensuing chase, one of the suspects was shot by police and killed. Another man was moderately wounded. Both of them were known to the police.
Following the incident, hundreds of residents took to the streets on Saturday and held a violent demonstration, during which they clashed with police, blocked roads and set fire to cars, tires and garbage cans.
The Police Internal Investigations Department is looking into the shooting to determine whether it was justified.
Sheikh Salah, who has been inciting to violence over the tensions on the Temple Mount, also referred to the crisis at the holy site and linked it to the incident in Jaffa.
"Some incite against us and call to eliminate, stop and silence us," said Salah. "Why? Because we said Al-Aqsa is in danger. Our Al-Aqsa. We will not give up our rights there. Israel is doing an injustice to the Arabs, treating them with racism and carrying out executions—whether in Jaffa, the Negev or Jerusalem. There is a policy of murder here."
"These days, people want us to be accused (of something) all the time," he claimed. "If we demand rights, and if we fight against injustice, we will be accused (of criminal acts). In such cases, one must be strong and not be afraid of accusations.
"It's possible everyone who comes to the mourning tent here will be considered instigators. You do not have to be afraid of this. We have the right to have a mourners' tent and to speak. If they want to accuse us of incitement—let them shout and make whatever accusations they want. We have the right to continue on our path and we will not be afraid of anyone who incites against us."
Salah was released from prison in January after serving time for incitement to violence. The northern branch of the Islamic Movement, which he leads, was outlawed by the Security Cabinet in 2015 due to the movement's ties with Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.
The father of the deceased claimed the riots in Jaffa on Saturday erupted spontaneously out of indignation, and not because the Islamic Movement pushed for it.
"The police murdered my son in cold blood," he said. "He had nothing to do with the shooting at the (butcher shop). If the police close the case, it will not pass quietly."
