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Protestors sitting on the ground
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Left-wing activist removed
Photo: Gil Yohanan

25 leftists arrested in east Jerusalem

Police forces detain activists for refusing to end rally against Jews inhabiting houses in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. One of protestors tells Ynet, 'The police's conduct resembles a military regime. This neighborhood cannot be under Jewish control'

The police arrested twenty-five Palestinians and left-wing activists in Sheikh Jarrah on Friday afternoon for refusing to end a rally against Jews inhabiting houses in the east Jerusalem neighborhood. The protestors were removed from the area with the help of mounted policemen.

 

The protestors arrived at the "Simeon the Just" compound, where Jews recently settled instead of Palestinian families evacuated from the area following a court order. The protestors sat on the ground and began shouting towards the disputed houses, on which a flag of Israel was raised: "Palestine don't despair, we'll still end the occupation."

 

Rabbi Arik Ascherman, director of the Rabbis for Human Rights organization, told Ynet that he and the activists were protesting what they viewed as fundamental injustice.

 

"We have been active here from 2002, in order to defend our neighbors. The settlers claim that the houses were owned by Jews before 1948. I doubt if this is true, but even if it is, we must ask whether Arabs also have right to return to what were their homes before the State's establishment. If they don't do so, what we have here is a case of discrimination."


 

Police forcibly remove left-wing activists from 'Simeon the Just' compound (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

 

Jerusalem Council Member Meir Margalit (Meretz) expressed his anger over the extensive arrests of protestors: "When the Right demonstrates, they are treated with velvet gloves. And what about the serious haredi protests?"

 

He added that "there is no doubt that there is discrimination here between different sectors. The police have turned into the Right's tool, and we should beware of a state in which the police represent a political opinion."

 

'Violent and brutal oppression'

Margalit noted that the police's attitude towards the left-wing activists resembled the military regime attitude towards protestors in his homeland of Argentina.

 

"The police are taking upon themselves unreasonable responsibilities and are oppressing the freedom of speech and protest, which are basic rights in every democracy. We are on a slippery slope and may reach a situation of a police state, with all the implications," he warned.

 

Adi Livni, another left-wing activist, said that she had arrived in Sheikh Jarrah in order to demonstrate against "the violent and brutal oppression" of the protests in the neighborhood.

 

According to Livni, the High Court of Justice's ruling allowing the evacuation of Arab families in favor of Jews' settlement is a violation of the status quo in Jerusalem.

 

"This act is legitimate but immoral," she said, stressing that "in order to guarantee a durable Palestinian state in the future, Sheikh Jarrah cannot be under the Jewish control of settlers."

  

Meretz Chairman Chaim Oron called on the internal security minister to release the demonstrators and "allow them to express their protest."

 

According to Oron, "It's unthinkable that every week left-wing protestors are prevented from expressing legitimate protest, while right-wing protestors, who violently and blatantly violate the government's decisions, are being treated forgivingly."

 

Efrat Weiss and Amnon Meranda contributed to this report

 


פרסום ראשון: 12.18.09, 16:23
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