Hundreds protest in Jaffa against far-right rally

[freepalestine]

Hundreds protest in Jaffa after right-wing rally
Published today (updated) 02/03/2011 11:53






http://maannews.net/images/345x230/14969_345x230.jpg

A Palestinian citizen of Israel argues with the head of an ultra-right wing
group in Jaffa, near Tel Aviv. [MaanImages/Moti Milrod, File]





BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Hundreds of Palestinian citizens of Israel protested Wednesday in the coastal city of Jaffa, onlookers said, after right-wing activists paraded through the predominantly Arab city.

Dozens of police arrived to close streets as the demonstrators defied orders to stop. They managed to break through a police line and some sat on the street in front of their homes, refusing to leave.

"Several Palestinians have said they're ready to be arrested. One man says he's ready to die," American-Israeli journalist Mya Guarnieri told Ma'an. "The crowd is holding its ground pretty well."

A few dozen Israelis joined the Palestinians chanting: "Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies."

Extreme right-wing activists took to the streets hours earlier. About 60 people took part, including MK Michael Ben Ari and activists Itamar Ben-Gvir and Baruch Marzel, Israeli media reported.

The Palestinian demonstrators say right-wing protests are meant to intimidate them into leaving. They view the recently arrived Jewish residents as settlers hoping to take over the city near Tel Aviv.


http://maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=364791





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Published 10:37 02.03.11
Latest update 11:47 02.03.11
16 leftists arrested at protest against right-wing march in Jaffa

March is organized by right-wing activists who want to protest 'Islamic Movement gaining control over [the city]'; Arab residents close businesses in protest.

By Ilan Lior and Yaniv Kubovich







Police arrested sixteen left-wing protesters who were demonstrating against a right-wing march through Jaffa on Wednesday.
The march, organized by National Union MK Michael Ben-Ari and right-wing activists Itamar Ben-Gvir and Baruch Marzel was in protest of what they deemed the "Islamic Movement gaining control over [the city]."


http://www.haaretz.com/polopoly_fs/1.346663.1299056105!/image/4216349947.JPG_gen/derivatives/landscape_295/4216349947.JPG Right-wing protesters march through Jaffa on March 2, 2011.
Photo by: Tal Cohen




The march comes just a few days after the Tel Aviv-Jaffa municipality announced a plan to build affordable housing exclusively for Jaffa's Arab residents.
Police spent the morning preparing the city to prevent confrontation between the right wing marchers and Jaffa's Arab residents. Roads surrounding the planned route of the march, which began at the city's clock tower, have been closed to traffic.
During the march, Marzel said the "Islamic Movement is very strong in Jaffa," adding "we want to cast out the enemies."
Left-wing protesters and Arab residents followed the march, calling out to the right-wing marchers. The marchers were escorted by a heavy police force, who kept the marchers and protesters separated by forming a fortified ring around the march.


http://www.haaretz.com/polopoly_fs/1.346661.1299055709!/image/1490579234.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_295/1490579234.jpg Police prep for right-wing march through Jaffa on March 2, 2011.
Photo by: Tal Cohen


Arab workers in the city decided to strike during the time that the march is taking place.
One of the march organizers, Michael Ben-Ari, called on Arab residents in the city to hang the Israeli flag in their homes.
"I am ready to supply you with the flags," Ben-Ari said adding that he would hang them himself.
"There have always been Jews and Arabs together in Jaffa, in coexistence and with mutual respect," Tel Aviv councilman Ahmed Mashharawi said on Wednesday. "These people's march reveals their true ugly face. As long as they don’t harm the routine of the residents, we won't allow them the pleasure of receiving a headline on our account."

source:haaretz

[Triple A]

Can you please inform me about the israeli far right?

Keep the protests on btw.

[freepalestine]

10 Wounded, Sixteen Detained During Jaffa Clashes As Settlers March In City
Thursday March 03, 2011 08:25 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies



Clashes were reported in Jaffa city, on Wednesday evening, as a group of extremist Israeli settlers and fundamentalist right-wing leaders and members, marched in the city demanding the Jaffa to be “An Arab Free Zone”.


http://imemc.org/attachments/mar2011/jaffa_march.jpg
Jaffa Protest - Palestine-Info



Fundamentalist Member of Knesset, member of the National Union Party, Michael Ben-Ari, organized the protest along with right-wing fundamentalists Itamar Ben Gvir and Baruch Marzel. They claimed that the protest comes “to stop the Islamic Movement from controlling Jaffa”.

Israeli left-wing activities, Arab residents and leaders participated in the protest against the settlers provocative procession.

According to Israeli daily, Haaretz, the Tel Aviv – Jaffa City Council announced recently a plan to build affordable units for Arab resident in Jaffa.

Haaretz added that Tel Aviv City Council member, Ahmad Mash-Harawi, stated Wednesday, that Jews and Arabs have lived in Jaffa in peace and mutual respect, while the settlers procession reveals the real intentions of the settlement movement.

Jaffa resident Mohammad al-Ashqar, head of the al-Aqsa Waqf and Heritage Foundation, stated that strike was declared in the city to protest the provocative march of the settlers.

Al-Ashqar added that the local residents took to the streets during early morning hours to intercept the procession and to send a message to the extremists that Jaffa is an Arab and a Palestinian city.

He also stated that the protest was popular in nature and was not organized by any specific group as it was held to peacefully counter the provocative march of the settlers headed by extremist settler-leader Baroch Merzil.

Merzil is an extremist settler-leader who want to “ensure the country is an Arab-Free Zone”. He stated during the procession that “he came to Jaffa to force the Arabs out”.

At least 1000 policemen were deployed in Jaffa to protect the settlers who gathered at a main junction to initiate their protest.

On his part, Al Ashqar said that the Arab youths and residents took to the streets to send a clear message to the fundamentalist settlers that they are not welcome in the city.

The police used excessive force against the Arab protesters, wounding ten and detaining20 others, who were released later on after the marchers vowed to remain in the streets until all detained residents werereleased.

In the West Bank, extremist settlers stated that they are planning to stage demonstrations on Thursday to protest Israel’s evacuation of the illegal Havat Gilad settlement outpost in the West Bank.

The settlers did not specify details on their planned protests, but stated that the activities will be in different parts of the territories and would include blocking roads.

During the evacuation of the illegal outpost on Monday, settlers hurled stones at Israeli soldiers and policemen who fired rubber-coated metal bullets and used paintball guns.

Haaretz said that the settlers claimed that 13 persons were wounded by rubber-bullets during the evacuation, and that eight settlers were detained.

http://imemc.org/article/60767











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Far Right-wing Israelis, settlers rally in 'day of rage'
Published today (updated) 03/03/2011 20:21





TEL AVIV (Ma'an) --Right-wing Israelis and settlers blocked a road to Jerusalem with burning tires and closed down train tracks to the country's airport on Thursday, in what was billed as a "day of rage."

Israeli news organizations said police evacuated protesters from highway 1 after a brief closure of the main artery, with the daily newspaper Haaretz saying that in Jerusalem, tires were set alight in a separate protest action.

A photographer saw around a dozen people being carted off by police near Modi'in, half-way between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, but police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said no one had been formally arrested in connection with the protests.

On Thursday morning, the demonstrators tried to block a main highway and burned tires at the entrance to Jerusalem, but police arrived on the scene to dismantle the impromptu roadblocks, Rosenfeld said.

News website Ynet reported that around 50 right-wing activists gathered on a West Bank road to demonstrate and some of the protesters had slashed the tyres of a police car.

The day of protests came in response to the demolition of a caravan, a tent and another half-built structure at the Havat Gilad outpost near Nablus on Monday. The outpost was built without permission from the Israeli government.

During the incident, settlers say police used excessive force to remove demonstrators, using stun grenades and paint ball guns against them.

Some hardline settlers threatened to carry out "price tag" attacks against Palestinians on Thursday. This involves attacks on the local population as a direct response to "anti-settler" activity by the Israeli government.

But despite the threats, there did not appear to be any signs of widespread action against Palestinians by sundown.

Police had been on high alert all day, including in the West Bank, to prevent violence, Rosenfeld told AFP.

"We have stepped up patrols in different areas in Judaea and Samaria (the West Bank) and Jerusalem and we are prepared to deal with disturbances as they happen," Rosenfeld said.

On Wednesday, the Palestinian Authority issued a call to the international community to intervene and protect civilians from violent settler action.


AFP contributed to this report.

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