Some 100 members of the Balad and Hadash parties, as well as members of the Bnei Hakfar (Sons of the Village) movement protested Sunday evening outside an event hall in Shfaram, where a ceremony marking the town's 100th anniversary was expected to be held with the participation of President Shimon Peres .
The protestors called for the cancellation of indictments against the suspects in the lynching of Jewish terrorist Eden Natan Zada, an AWOL IDF soldier who opened fire inside a bus in Shfaram on August 4, 2005, murdering four Arab citizens and wounding 22 others.
Knesset Member Jamal Zahalka (Balad) said, "The people here are angry because after visiting the town, Peres promised there would be no indictments against any of the residents, but indictments were filed nonetheless.
MK Zahalka (in blue shirt) during rally (Photo: Ahiya Raved)
"He (Peres) is the only one who can cancel the charges, but he is not doing so. This is the main demand from him – close the cases, or else the message is that the Arabs have no right to defend themselves," said the Arab lawmaker.
The demonstrators waved Palestinian and black flags, as well as banners calling to drop the charges. They shouted, "Peres, get out of here" and "Shfaram land is free land."
Some Shfaram residents said the rally was a political act against the mayor, who was backed by Hadash in the elections.