8 july 2019
Hundreds join dozens of women from Ethiopian community to march through the city as protests resume following killing of teen in Haifa by off-duty cop; authorities call on demonstrators 'to maintain law and order'; female protester: If my child is in danger, I will not be silent
Hundreds of demonstrators, including around 50 women of Ethiopian origin, gathered Monday evening at the Azrieli junction in Tel Aviv to protest discrimination and violence against the Ethiopian community in Israel.
The protests came as the family of Solomon Tekah ended the seven-day Jewish period of mourning for the 19-year-old youth who was shot dead by an off-duty cop in the Haifa district last week.
Solomon's death prompted several days of mass protests and riots across the country, with some demonstrations turning violent. The Tekah family called for peaceful protests.
The women at Monday's protest carried signs reading: "Mom, don’t let me be the next victim" and "State of Israel – being black is not a crime." From the junction they began marching to Rabin Square in the north of the city. The march was planned to take place from Azrieli along Kaplan Street to Ibn Gvirol Street, and then north to Rabin Square.
"These are the children of all the people of Israel," said Janet, one of the demonstrators.
"The desert generation is quiet," she said, referring to those who walked from Ethiopia to Sudan in order to reach Israel, "but the generation of the Land of Israel, the child of Israel, will not be silent because he learned from you. You educated them and you damaged their souls."
She added: "Don't say that the demonstration by the Ethiopian Jews was violent… If my child cannot go out and come back again – no mother would be silent. I am ready to bleed - in Sudan we bled. I ready to bleed and I am ready to die."
The police said earlier Monday that they "were preparing for protests and were calling on demonstrators to maintain law and order."
The authorities said they would "allow legitimate protest, but will not allow and will take firm action against any riots or violent disturbances directed against policemen or civilians wherever they may be."
Security cameras were installed at noon on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv, close to the intersection between a major government compound and the Azrieli Junction that leads to the Ayalon Highway.
According to information about the new protests distributed via WhatsApp, the demonstrations were also to be held at the Poleg interchange on Route 2 (the coastal road) near Netanya; the Pat Junction in southern Jerusalem; Petah Tikva municipality building; the corner of Jabotinsky Street and the Geha Junction in Petah Tikva; and opposite Ashkelon municipal sports hall.
Earlier Monday, a preliminary internal investigation into Tekah's killing revealed that the police officer who shot him opened fire in the direction of the floor, but the bullet ricocheted and fatally wounded the 19-year-old man.
The Tekah family's legal team met Monday with the representatives of the Police Internal Investigations Department, who presented them with the findings of the preliminary investigation.
The police representatives did not, however, elaborate on the type of punishment they will be seeking for the officer.
The internal investigation’s department confirmed the meeting, saying the gunfire was indeed aimed at the floor as an act of self-defense.
"The findings of the investigation support the defense's claims that the officer acted in self-defense without any intention of harming the deceased," said Yair Nedshi, the officer’s defense attorney.
"So far a series of forensic tests have been conducted as far of the investigation, including pathological analysis, ballistics tests, weapons testing and forensic examination of the scene of the shooting,” said the Police Internal Investigations Department.
Hundreds of demonstrators, including around 50 women of Ethiopian origin, gathered Monday evening at the Azrieli junction in Tel Aviv to protest discrimination and violence against the Ethiopian community in Israel.
The protests came as the family of Solomon Tekah ended the seven-day Jewish period of mourning for the 19-year-old youth who was shot dead by an off-duty cop in the Haifa district last week.
Solomon's death prompted several days of mass protests and riots across the country, with some demonstrations turning violent. The Tekah family called for peaceful protests.
The women at Monday's protest carried signs reading: "Mom, don’t let me be the next victim" and "State of Israel – being black is not a crime." From the junction they began marching to Rabin Square in the north of the city. The march was planned to take place from Azrieli along Kaplan Street to Ibn Gvirol Street, and then north to Rabin Square.
"These are the children of all the people of Israel," said Janet, one of the demonstrators.
"The desert generation is quiet," she said, referring to those who walked from Ethiopia to Sudan in order to reach Israel, "but the generation of the Land of Israel, the child of Israel, will not be silent because he learned from you. You educated them and you damaged their souls."
She added: "Don't say that the demonstration by the Ethiopian Jews was violent… If my child cannot go out and come back again – no mother would be silent. I am ready to bleed - in Sudan we bled. I ready to bleed and I am ready to die."
The police said earlier Monday that they "were preparing for protests and were calling on demonstrators to maintain law and order."
The authorities said they would "allow legitimate protest, but will not allow and will take firm action against any riots or violent disturbances directed against policemen or civilians wherever they may be."
Security cameras were installed at noon on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv, close to the intersection between a major government compound and the Azrieli Junction that leads to the Ayalon Highway.
According to information about the new protests distributed via WhatsApp, the demonstrations were also to be held at the Poleg interchange on Route 2 (the coastal road) near Netanya; the Pat Junction in southern Jerusalem; Petah Tikva municipality building; the corner of Jabotinsky Street and the Geha Junction in Petah Tikva; and opposite Ashkelon municipal sports hall.
Earlier Monday, a preliminary internal investigation into Tekah's killing revealed that the police officer who shot him opened fire in the direction of the floor, but the bullet ricocheted and fatally wounded the 19-year-old man.
The Tekah family's legal team met Monday with the representatives of the Police Internal Investigations Department, who presented them with the findings of the preliminary investigation.
The police representatives did not, however, elaborate on the type of punishment they will be seeking for the officer.
The internal investigation’s department confirmed the meeting, saying the gunfire was indeed aimed at the floor as an act of self-defense.
"The findings of the investigation support the defense's claims that the officer acted in self-defense without any intention of harming the deceased," said Yair Nedshi, the officer’s defense attorney.
"So far a series of forensic tests have been conducted as far of the investigation, including pathological analysis, ballistics tests, weapons testing and forensic examination of the scene of the shooting,” said the Police Internal Investigations Department.
Preliminary internal investigation reveals the police officer who fatally shot Solomon Tekah aimed the gunfire toward the floor which then ricocheted and hit the 19 year old; shooting sparked widespread protests by Ethiopian community across Israel
The off-duty police officer who fatally shot an Ethiopian teenager, sparking massive protests across Israel, opened fire in the direction of the floor which ricocheted and hit the 19-year-old man, the preliminary internal investigation revealed.
The legal team of Solomon Tekah’s family on Monday met with the representatives of the Police Internal Investigations Department, who presented them with the findings of the preliminary investigation.
The representatives, however, did not elaborate on the type of punishment they will be seeking for the officer.
The internal investigation’s department confirmed the meeting, saying the gunfire was indeed aimed at the floor as an act of self-defense, after the officer apparently reenacted the incident at the scene of last Sunday’s shooting near the northern city of Haifa.
"The findings of the investigation support the defense's claims that the officer acted in self-defense without any intention of harming the deceased," said Yair Nedshi, the officer’s defense attorney.
"So far a series of forensic tests have been conducted as far of the investigation, including pathological analysis, ballistics tests, weapons testing and forensic examination of the scene of the shooting,” said Police Internal Investigations Department.
“The findings of the tests conducted so far tests support the claim that the bullet first hit the ground, ricocheted off the ground and hit the deceased, resulting in his unfortunate death."
The internal investigations department emphasized, however, the investigation is still ongoing and “it's impossible to draw a decisive conclusion about the course of events that led to the tragic outcome.”
Last week, at least 111 officers and dozens of protesters were wounded, and 136 people were arrested during widespread demonstrations across Israel. The protests, which swiftly turned violent, were held at major interchanges and roads across the country on Tuesday evening, after Tekah’s funeral.
The off-duty police officer who fatally shot an Ethiopian teenager, sparking massive protests across Israel, opened fire in the direction of the floor which ricocheted and hit the 19-year-old man, the preliminary internal investigation revealed.
The legal team of Solomon Tekah’s family on Monday met with the representatives of the Police Internal Investigations Department, who presented them with the findings of the preliminary investigation.
The representatives, however, did not elaborate on the type of punishment they will be seeking for the officer.
The internal investigation’s department confirmed the meeting, saying the gunfire was indeed aimed at the floor as an act of self-defense, after the officer apparently reenacted the incident at the scene of last Sunday’s shooting near the northern city of Haifa.
"The findings of the investigation support the defense's claims that the officer acted in self-defense without any intention of harming the deceased," said Yair Nedshi, the officer’s defense attorney.
"So far a series of forensic tests have been conducted as far of the investigation, including pathological analysis, ballistics tests, weapons testing and forensic examination of the scene of the shooting,” said Police Internal Investigations Department.
“The findings of the tests conducted so far tests support the claim that the bullet first hit the ground, ricocheted off the ground and hit the deceased, resulting in his unfortunate death."
The internal investigations department emphasized, however, the investigation is still ongoing and “it's impossible to draw a decisive conclusion about the course of events that led to the tragic outcome.”
Last week, at least 111 officers and dozens of protesters were wounded, and 136 people were arrested during widespread demonstrations across Israel. The protests, which swiftly turned violent, were held at major interchanges and roads across the country on Tuesday evening, after Tekah’s funeral.
High school students in Israel must pass an online test promoting racist ideology before being allowed to travel overseas for school trips, legal rights center Adalah has revealed.
Adalah said that the the course, which was created by Israeli education authorities, “requires students to watch a series of videos after which they must take a multiple-choice exam, the correct answers of which promote racist ideology”.
The test includes questions such as “how do Palestinian organisations use digital social networks?” with the correct answer being “encouraging violence”, and asks students to identify the origins of modern anti-Semitism, the correct answer to which is “Muslim organisations” and the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign.
Students are told that “anti-Semitism in Europe increased with the immigration of Muslims to Europe… from the Middle East, Africa, Pakistan, Afghanistan.”
“The course presents a racist ideological perspective that creates an equivalence between Palestinian, Arab, or Muslim identities and violence and terrorism,” Adalah has stated, adding that “Palestinian Arab high school students in the Israeli school system are being asked by this exam to assimilate its racist values.”
Adalah attorney Nareman Shehadeh-Zoabi wrote to the Education Ministry demanding that the ministry “immediately cancel the mandatory course and exam and allow students to freely participate in overseas school trips with the start of the 2019-2020 school year”, after a school in Nazareth decided to cancel an exchange programme to Sweden instead of allowing its students sit the test which “promotes racist propaganda”.
The letter was written on behalf of Masar Association and the parents of children studying at the association’s Nazareth school.
Shehadeh-Zoabi noted, according to the PNN, that “[Palestinian Arab teenagers] are being forced to internalise humiliating statements about themselves and their families”, which is “outrageous and illegal, adding that “Adalah will take all necessary steps to abolish this course that is repugnantly offensive to Arab citizens and students.”
Adalah said that the the course, which was created by Israeli education authorities, “requires students to watch a series of videos after which they must take a multiple-choice exam, the correct answers of which promote racist ideology”.
The test includes questions such as “how do Palestinian organisations use digital social networks?” with the correct answer being “encouraging violence”, and asks students to identify the origins of modern anti-Semitism, the correct answer to which is “Muslim organisations” and the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign.
Students are told that “anti-Semitism in Europe increased with the immigration of Muslims to Europe… from the Middle East, Africa, Pakistan, Afghanistan.”
“The course presents a racist ideological perspective that creates an equivalence between Palestinian, Arab, or Muslim identities and violence and terrorism,” Adalah has stated, adding that “Palestinian Arab high school students in the Israeli school system are being asked by this exam to assimilate its racist values.”
Adalah attorney Nareman Shehadeh-Zoabi wrote to the Education Ministry demanding that the ministry “immediately cancel the mandatory course and exam and allow students to freely participate in overseas school trips with the start of the 2019-2020 school year”, after a school in Nazareth decided to cancel an exchange programme to Sweden instead of allowing its students sit the test which “promotes racist propaganda”.
The letter was written on behalf of Masar Association and the parents of children studying at the association’s Nazareth school.
Shehadeh-Zoabi noted, according to the PNN, that “[Palestinian Arab teenagers] are being forced to internalise humiliating statements about themselves and their families”, which is “outrageous and illegal, adding that “Adalah will take all necessary steps to abolish this course that is repugnantly offensive to Arab citizens and students.”
7 july 2019
Prime minister's son causes outrage among Ethiopian-Israeli activists, MKs, who call him 'a spoiled boy who lives off the public,' spreader of fake news; 'it's easy being a virtual bully, far more difficult to go out and protest'
Yair Netanyahu, son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stirred a commotion over the weekend when he said in a tweet that the Ethiopian community's wave of protests was "funded by German money."
"Everything that happened this week was fueled by the New Israel Fund and the Standing Together organization with the use of German money," said the prime minister's son, referring to aid organizations that often support the Ethiopian Israeli cause.
"I wonder what would have happened if the Israeli government funded a German organization that burns police vehicles, blocks roads and acts violently in the streets of Berlin," said young Netanyahu.
Many Ethiopian descendants around the country were outraged by the tweet. "No Yair, everything that happened this week was fueled by racism and oppression that my community has been going through for many years," tweeted Avi Yalo, one of the protest's leaders.
"You can keep spreading lies about the New Israel Fund and about German money, but you know it has no connection what so ever to reality. Our struggle, which you cannot understand from the bubble you live in, is a daily struggle for an equal, secure life."
Itzik Time, another leader of the protests, also responded with a fierce tweet: "I wish we had had funding for protests, we would have protested for a whole week," he said.
MK Pnina Tamano-Shata from the Blue and White Party said in response that "This spoiled demagogue will never be able to understand the weak. Sit quietly, don’t stir cheap and false politics over the back of a community that went out to protest from the bottom of its aching heart."
"Where were you during the rightful protests against police violence and the killing of Solomon Tekah? Where were you during the protests after the killing of Yehuda Biadga?" tweeted Alon Lee Green, chair of the Standing Together movement.
"It's easy sitting back in an airconditioned room and being a virtual bully. It's far more difficult protesting for justice and against a government who hurts its citizens," he said.
Blue and White MK Gadi Yevarkan, who is of Ethiopian descent, also slammed Yair Netanyahu: "Those young teens on the streets have contributed to this country a thousand times more than did, you a rich boy who lives on the backs of the public."
"I didn't expect you to understand what discrimination is, since you grew up in a home that is a factory house for discrimination," said Yevarkan.
"Go and learn about values, respect, Zionism and the love of the motherland from Ethiopian Israelis," he concluded.
Yair Netanyahu, son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stirred a commotion over the weekend when he said in a tweet that the Ethiopian community's wave of protests was "funded by German money."
"Everything that happened this week was fueled by the New Israel Fund and the Standing Together organization with the use of German money," said the prime minister's son, referring to aid organizations that often support the Ethiopian Israeli cause.
"I wonder what would have happened if the Israeli government funded a German organization that burns police vehicles, blocks roads and acts violently in the streets of Berlin," said young Netanyahu.
Many Ethiopian descendants around the country were outraged by the tweet. "No Yair, everything that happened this week was fueled by racism and oppression that my community has been going through for many years," tweeted Avi Yalo, one of the protest's leaders.
"You can keep spreading lies about the New Israel Fund and about German money, but you know it has no connection what so ever to reality. Our struggle, which you cannot understand from the bubble you live in, is a daily struggle for an equal, secure life."
Itzik Time, another leader of the protests, also responded with a fierce tweet: "I wish we had had funding for protests, we would have protested for a whole week," he said.
MK Pnina Tamano-Shata from the Blue and White Party said in response that "This spoiled demagogue will never be able to understand the weak. Sit quietly, don’t stir cheap and false politics over the back of a community that went out to protest from the bottom of its aching heart."
"Where were you during the rightful protests against police violence and the killing of Solomon Tekah? Where were you during the protests after the killing of Yehuda Biadga?" tweeted Alon Lee Green, chair of the Standing Together movement.
"It's easy sitting back in an airconditioned room and being a virtual bully. It's far more difficult protesting for justice and against a government who hurts its citizens," he said.
Blue and White MK Gadi Yevarkan, who is of Ethiopian descent, also slammed Yair Netanyahu: "Those young teens on the streets have contributed to this country a thousand times more than did, you a rich boy who lives on the backs of the public."
"I didn't expect you to understand what discrimination is, since you grew up in a home that is a factory house for discrimination," said Yevarkan.
"Go and learn about values, respect, Zionism and the love of the motherland from Ethiopian Israelis," he concluded.
Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, has revealed that the Israeli government never raised the issue of Avraham Mengistu, a Ethiopian Jew held captive in Gaza, through any mediators who tried to broker a new prisoner swap deal.
In recent remarks to RT Arabic news channel, a senior commander of al-Qassam Brigades said that the Israeli government did not mention Mengistu during any mediated talks over swapping prisoners.
After the 2014 war on Gaza subsided, the Israeli occupation army announced that Mengistu went missing in Gaza and claimed he was mentally unstable. He was wearing an army uniform when the Palestinian resistance captured him then.
There are also three other soldiers being held captive in Gaza. Israel claims that two of them are only soldiers and that they are not alive.
In recent remarks to RT Arabic news channel, a senior commander of al-Qassam Brigades said that the Israeli government did not mention Mengistu during any mediated talks over swapping prisoners.
After the 2014 war on Gaza subsided, the Israeli occupation army announced that Mengistu went missing in Gaza and claimed he was mentally unstable. He was wearing an army uniform when the Palestinian resistance captured him then.
There are also three other soldiers being held captive in Gaza. Israel claims that two of them are only soldiers and that they are not alive.
After almost losing, Benjamin Netanyahu comes 1st in 2019 Israeli election – Cartoon
It has become very clear that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been playing all of his cards in order to remain in office and avoid the fate of his predecessor Ehud Olmert, who ended up in prison for corruption. Although acquitted on two charges, Olmert was found guilty of a third and sentenced to six years in prison; he was also fined 1 million shekels ($290,000) for bribery. After appealing against the sentence, it was reduced to 18 months, of which he spent only 16 months in prison after being released early for good behavior.
According to Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, Netanyahu is to be charged with criminal wrongdoing in three separate cases, including bribery, fraud and breach of trust. If Olmert was sentenced to six years in prison for bribery, 69-year-old Netanyahu sees himself potentially spending the rest of his life in prison, so he and his allies are doing everything possible to avoid such a fate.
Even with a reduced prison sentence, as Olmert was granted, the Israeli Prime Minister knows very well that Israeli law prevents politicians from returning to parliament for seven years if sentenced to three months or more in prison for a crime viewed by the courts as “moral turpitude”. His political career could well be almost over.
In March, Bezalel Smotrich MK, a senior member of the Union of Right Wing Parties and chair of the National Union faction, submitted a bill that would give lawmakers increased powers to block charges against sitting members of parliament, including the sitting prime minister. A couple of months later, Miki Zohar MK proposed a bill which would ensure that Netanyahu and any other MK would by default be granted immunity from prosecution unless the Knesset House Committee voted to strip the lawmaker of that right.
Netanyahu, who accused Israel’s Arab citizens of endangering the country’s political right during the 2015 Knesset election campaign — “The right-wing government is in danger. Arab voters are coming out in droves to the polls,” he said in a video uploaded on Facebook — has recently appealed to them for sympathy and support by trying to form an alliance with the 10 Arab MKs elected in April. His supporters have published articles in newspapers such as Haaretz and Makor Rishon to cast the Arab-Israels as the great hope of the right.
“Netanyahu was willing to give the Arabs many of his prized possessions,” wrote Israeli writer Ben Caspit, “in return… for their backing [of] the minority government he would form.” Caspit noted that this “chaotic” and “bizarre” scenario did not go ahead. Nevertheless, he has described Netanyahu as the best campaigner in Israel’s history. “He could invite Chinese President Xi Jinping for a historic visit to Israel, engineer another photo-op with Russian President Vladimir Putin and even drag his ‘secret weapon’ President Donald Trump, to Israel” in order to promote his views ahead of the date of the possible snap election.
The traditionally very conservative traditions of the Israeli right wing were shaken last month when Netanyahu appointed the openly gay Amir Ohana MK, 43, as Minister of Justice. This was criticized by the gay community who called it a “fig leaf” because it will never make any real change in right-wing policy, and was slammed by others for being “designed to save Netanyahu from indictment.”
Earlier this week, as part of his attempts to use his connections with the US President for his own political benefit, the Israeli leader hosted two of Donald Trump’s senior advisers on the Middle East, Jason Greenblatt and Ambassador David Friedman, at the inauguration of what is called the “pilgrims’ road” which runs beneath Palestinian homes in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Netanyahu might go further to save his political life. He knows very well that launching an offensive on Gaza would not be a great success militarily, but he would play this card as a last resort to boost his “strongman” image. If he does, then the attack will probably be fiercer than previous offensives, with even more war crimes and crimes against humanity carried out with impunity to persuade Israeli voters to back him in September’s General Election.
The Palestinians have long been an election card used by Israeli politicians, and Netanyahu is no different. He will kill as many as necessary if it means that he can stay on as Israel’s Prime Minister. In a real democracy, of course, his political career would have been dead and buried long ago, but this is Israel, and normal democratic rules don’t apply, which is why he is still in office.
- Motasem A Dalloul is MEMO’s correspondent in the Gaza Strip.
It has become very clear that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been playing all of his cards in order to remain in office and avoid the fate of his predecessor Ehud Olmert, who ended up in prison for corruption. Although acquitted on two charges, Olmert was found guilty of a third and sentenced to six years in prison; he was also fined 1 million shekels ($290,000) for bribery. After appealing against the sentence, it was reduced to 18 months, of which he spent only 16 months in prison after being released early for good behavior.
According to Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, Netanyahu is to be charged with criminal wrongdoing in three separate cases, including bribery, fraud and breach of trust. If Olmert was sentenced to six years in prison for bribery, 69-year-old Netanyahu sees himself potentially spending the rest of his life in prison, so he and his allies are doing everything possible to avoid such a fate.
Even with a reduced prison sentence, as Olmert was granted, the Israeli Prime Minister knows very well that Israeli law prevents politicians from returning to parliament for seven years if sentenced to three months or more in prison for a crime viewed by the courts as “moral turpitude”. His political career could well be almost over.
In March, Bezalel Smotrich MK, a senior member of the Union of Right Wing Parties and chair of the National Union faction, submitted a bill that would give lawmakers increased powers to block charges against sitting members of parliament, including the sitting prime minister. A couple of months later, Miki Zohar MK proposed a bill which would ensure that Netanyahu and any other MK would by default be granted immunity from prosecution unless the Knesset House Committee voted to strip the lawmaker of that right.
Netanyahu, who accused Israel’s Arab citizens of endangering the country’s political right during the 2015 Knesset election campaign — “The right-wing government is in danger. Arab voters are coming out in droves to the polls,” he said in a video uploaded on Facebook — has recently appealed to them for sympathy and support by trying to form an alliance with the 10 Arab MKs elected in April. His supporters have published articles in newspapers such as Haaretz and Makor Rishon to cast the Arab-Israels as the great hope of the right.
“Netanyahu was willing to give the Arabs many of his prized possessions,” wrote Israeli writer Ben Caspit, “in return… for their backing [of] the minority government he would form.” Caspit noted that this “chaotic” and “bizarre” scenario did not go ahead. Nevertheless, he has described Netanyahu as the best campaigner in Israel’s history. “He could invite Chinese President Xi Jinping for a historic visit to Israel, engineer another photo-op with Russian President Vladimir Putin and even drag his ‘secret weapon’ President Donald Trump, to Israel” in order to promote his views ahead of the date of the possible snap election.
The traditionally very conservative traditions of the Israeli right wing were shaken last month when Netanyahu appointed the openly gay Amir Ohana MK, 43, as Minister of Justice. This was criticized by the gay community who called it a “fig leaf” because it will never make any real change in right-wing policy, and was slammed by others for being “designed to save Netanyahu from indictment.”
Earlier this week, as part of his attempts to use his connections with the US President for his own political benefit, the Israeli leader hosted two of Donald Trump’s senior advisers on the Middle East, Jason Greenblatt and Ambassador David Friedman, at the inauguration of what is called the “pilgrims’ road” which runs beneath Palestinian homes in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Netanyahu might go further to save his political life. He knows very well that launching an offensive on Gaza would not be a great success militarily, but he would play this card as a last resort to boost his “strongman” image. If he does, then the attack will probably be fiercer than previous offensives, with even more war crimes and crimes against humanity carried out with impunity to persuade Israeli voters to back him in September’s General Election.
The Palestinians have long been an election card used by Israeli politicians, and Netanyahu is no different. He will kill as many as necessary if it means that he can stay on as Israel’s Prime Minister. In a real democracy, of course, his political career would have been dead and buried long ago, but this is Israel, and normal democratic rules don’t apply, which is why he is still in office.
- Motasem A Dalloul is MEMO’s correspondent in the Gaza Strip.
6 july 2019
Israeli settlers from the terrorist price-tag group spray-painted racist graffiti outside the Arab dormitory, in Tele Aviv University, students said.
The students told journalists that settlers broke into the surroundings of their dormitory and spray-painted racist, hate and anti-Arab graffiti on walls.
Settler violence against Palestinians and their property is commonplace and is rarely prosecuted by Israeli authorities.
“Price tag” refers to an underground anti-Palestinian Israeli group that routinely attack Palestinians in the occupied territories and inside Israel.
The Israeli government still refuses to label it as a terrorist organization and considers it only as group of vandals, WAFA reports.
The students told journalists that settlers broke into the surroundings of their dormitory and spray-painted racist, hate and anti-Arab graffiti on walls.
Settler violence against Palestinians and their property is commonplace and is rarely prosecuted by Israeli authorities.
“Price tag” refers to an underground anti-Palestinian Israeli group that routinely attack Palestinians in the occupied territories and inside Israel.
The Israeli government still refuses to label it as a terrorist organization and considers it only as group of vandals, WAFA reports.
From left to right: Otzma Yehudit members Baruch Marzel, Michael Ben Ari, Rabbi Dov Lior and Itamar Ben Gvir at the extremist party's campaign launch in Jerusalem on July 4, 2019
Far-right Israeli faction Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) has launched its election campaign by calling for the expulsion of Palestinians to what he described as their “countries of origin”.
Otzma Yehudit launched its campaign in Jerusalem yesterday, ahead of Israel’s general election, which will be held on September 17 after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a ruling coalition, following his re-election on April 9.
Party head Michael Ben Ari told the audience that, “we want to resettle our enemies in their countries […] we’ll give them a bottle of mineral water and even a sandwich. We’ll find them countries of origin they can go to.”
Otzma Yehudit has a history of anti-Palestinian incitement, and had previously called for the expulsion of Palestinians from both Israel and the West Bank.
Its members are followers of extremist rabbi Meir Kahane, whose Kach party was banned from the Knesset in the 1980s. Kahane’s ideology also inspired Baruch Goldstein’s 1994 massacre at Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque, which left 29 Muslim worshippers dead and scores wounded.
In March, WAFA further reports, Israel’s Central Elections Committee mulled barring Otzma Yehudit from contesting April’s election due to its anti-Palestinian rhetoric, with the Supreme Court eventually deciding only to ban Ben Ari from the list of candidates.
The party head slammed this decision at yesterday’s campaign launch, saying “they told us this [rhetoric] is racist […] they said they disqualified me for this”.
Far-right Israeli faction Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) has launched its election campaign by calling for the expulsion of Palestinians to what he described as their “countries of origin”.
Otzma Yehudit launched its campaign in Jerusalem yesterday, ahead of Israel’s general election, which will be held on September 17 after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a ruling coalition, following his re-election on April 9.
Party head Michael Ben Ari told the audience that, “we want to resettle our enemies in their countries […] we’ll give them a bottle of mineral water and even a sandwich. We’ll find them countries of origin they can go to.”
Otzma Yehudit has a history of anti-Palestinian incitement, and had previously called for the expulsion of Palestinians from both Israel and the West Bank.
Its members are followers of extremist rabbi Meir Kahane, whose Kach party was banned from the Knesset in the 1980s. Kahane’s ideology also inspired Baruch Goldstein’s 1994 massacre at Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque, which left 29 Muslim worshippers dead and scores wounded.
In March, WAFA further reports, Israel’s Central Elections Committee mulled barring Otzma Yehudit from contesting April’s election due to its anti-Palestinian rhetoric, with the Supreme Court eventually deciding only to ban Ben Ari from the list of candidates.
The party head slammed this decision at yesterday’s campaign launch, saying “they told us this [rhetoric] is racist […] they said they disqualified me for this”.
5 july 2019
A Jordanian parliamentary delegation on Wednesday withdrew from the annual five-day conference of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which is being held in Luxembourg.
The Jordanian delegation, led by assistant speaker of the house of representatives MP Ibrahim Al-Qar'an, withdrew from the first day of the conference to protest against the seating of its delegation site next to lawmakers from the Israeli occupation state.
It is not clear if the Jordanian delegation will attend the remaining days of the conference or not.
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is meeting for its 28th annual session in Luxembourg on 4-8 July 2019, which is held under the theme “Advancing Sustainable Development to Promote Security.”
Al-Qar'an said the Jordanian delegation withdrew after he was surprised that the seat allocated to him was at the same table prepared for the Israeli delegation.
The Jordanians made several attempts to convince the organizers of the conference to change the seat of their delegation or to remove the Israeli delegation, but their request was declined.
Al-Qar'an said that despite the delegation's keenness on attending the conference, the principle of not sitting next to Israelis "came from our principles, morals and our religion that does not allow us to sit with people from the Zionist entity that has usurped our holy places.”
The Jordanian delegation, led by assistant speaker of the house of representatives MP Ibrahim Al-Qar'an, withdrew from the first day of the conference to protest against the seating of its delegation site next to lawmakers from the Israeli occupation state.
It is not clear if the Jordanian delegation will attend the remaining days of the conference or not.
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is meeting for its 28th annual session in Luxembourg on 4-8 July 2019, which is held under the theme “Advancing Sustainable Development to Promote Security.”
Al-Qar'an said the Jordanian delegation withdrew after he was surprised that the seat allocated to him was at the same table prepared for the Israeli delegation.
The Jordanians made several attempts to convince the organizers of the conference to change the seat of their delegation or to remove the Israeli delegation, but their request was declined.
Al-Qar'an said that despite the delegation's keenness on attending the conference, the principle of not sitting next to Israelis "came from our principles, morals and our religion that does not allow us to sit with people from the Zionist entity that has usurped our holy places.”
3 july 2019
27-year-old Netanya resident says he was afraid of being 'lynched' by demonstrators at Tel Aviv's Azrieli Junction who jumped atop his vehicle, tried to smash the windshield and eventually set the car ablaze
The driver whose car was jumped on mid-drive and later set ablaze during Tuesday’s demonstrations by Ethiopian community in Tel Aviv said he feared he would be “lynched” and “saw my death right before me.”
The protests erupted over the killing of a teenager of Ethiopian origin in Haifa by an off-duty policeman on Sunday. The protests, which swiftly turned violent, were held at major interchanges and roads across the country on Tuesday evening, after the funeral for 19-year-old Solomon Tekah.
The 27-year-old resident of the central city of Netanya was trying to escape the hours-long traffic jam at the Azrieli Junction, where the demonstration was taking place. But, once he was able to break free from the traffic jam, several protesters jumped on top of his car, trying to smash the windshield. video
"I left the office and tried driving along Kaplan Street, which wasn’t blocked to traffic by the demonstrators," said the driver in an interview with Ynet.
“I didn’t see any police officers at the interchange so I assumed the demonstration was over. When I stopped at the traffic light, I was surrounded by several protesters,” he said. “I started driving slowly to the side of the road in order to avoid harming the demonstrators, and that’s when the unprecedentedly violent incident started.”
He said one of the demonstrators leapt on top of his car and started punching the windshield.
“I put my foot on the gas in order to get him off the vehicle,” said the driver.
He said dozens of others joined in on the attack, jumping on the vehicle and hurling rocks at the windshield. “They completely destroyed the car,” he said.
The driver said he had two options, either to continue driving and possibly run over some protesters or “get out of the car and be lynched.”
He said he decided to remain in the vehicle and wait until security forces rescued him.
"Four undercover policemen emerged from the crowd and saved me,” he said. “As we were fleeing, the protesters pelted us with rocks and bottles and sprayed us with pepper spray.”
The driver was taken by the officers to the nearby government building, while his car - which he’d leased - was set on fire by the demonstrators.
One suspect, also a Netanya resident, was arrested on suspicion of arson in the attack. The court extended his remand on Wednesday morning.
“Anyone who’s capable of setting fire to a vehicle in a public place, even if it’s an act of protest, presents himself as a danger to society,” the court said in a statement.
The driver whose car was jumped on mid-drive and later set ablaze during Tuesday’s demonstrations by Ethiopian community in Tel Aviv said he feared he would be “lynched” and “saw my death right before me.”
The protests erupted over the killing of a teenager of Ethiopian origin in Haifa by an off-duty policeman on Sunday. The protests, which swiftly turned violent, were held at major interchanges and roads across the country on Tuesday evening, after the funeral for 19-year-old Solomon Tekah.
The 27-year-old resident of the central city of Netanya was trying to escape the hours-long traffic jam at the Azrieli Junction, where the demonstration was taking place. But, once he was able to break free from the traffic jam, several protesters jumped on top of his car, trying to smash the windshield. video
"I left the office and tried driving along Kaplan Street, which wasn’t blocked to traffic by the demonstrators," said the driver in an interview with Ynet.
“I didn’t see any police officers at the interchange so I assumed the demonstration was over. When I stopped at the traffic light, I was surrounded by several protesters,” he said. “I started driving slowly to the side of the road in order to avoid harming the demonstrators, and that’s when the unprecedentedly violent incident started.”
He said one of the demonstrators leapt on top of his car and started punching the windshield.
“I put my foot on the gas in order to get him off the vehicle,” said the driver.
He said dozens of others joined in on the attack, jumping on the vehicle and hurling rocks at the windshield. “They completely destroyed the car,” he said.
The driver said he had two options, either to continue driving and possibly run over some protesters or “get out of the car and be lynched.”
He said he decided to remain in the vehicle and wait until security forces rescued him.
"Four undercover policemen emerged from the crowd and saved me,” he said. “As we were fleeing, the protesters pelted us with rocks and bottles and sprayed us with pepper spray.”
The driver was taken by the officers to the nearby government building, while his car - which he’d leased - was set on fire by the demonstrators.
One suspect, also a Netanya resident, was arrested on suspicion of arson in the attack. The court extended his remand on Wednesday morning.
“Anyone who’s capable of setting fire to a vehicle in a public place, even if it’s an act of protest, presents himself as a danger to society,” the court said in a statement.
