Thousands of Arab residents of Israel held on Friday in a regional
protest against the Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip and the recent
killing of twenty-one civilians, including several children, in Beit
Hanoun, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. Several Arab Knesset
members participated in the protest.
Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the Islamic Movement in Israel, and Arab members of Knesset, including Jamal Zahalka and Mohammad Barakeh, voiced urgent appeals for the formation of a committee to prob the Beit Hanoun attack.
The protesters chanted slogans calling for a fair committee and international protection to the Palestinian people living under Israeli military occupation and continuous attacks.
Several protesters chanted slogans describing the Israeli government as a “bloody government” and a government of “war criminals”.
Sheikh Salah strongly slammed the Israeli government and said that the Israeli occupation will leave “but we will prevail forever”.
He also called for stripping the Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres from his Nobel Peace Prize.
Salah also said that the Israeli government is a government of extremists. “We should not expect peace from this government”, he added.
Several Arab leaders called on the Palestinians to form a national unity government and resolve any internal differences in order to stand united against the Israeli aggression.
Twenty-one residents, including eight children, were killed on Wednesday when the Israeli army shelled civilian houses in Beit Hanoun, the casualties are relatives and family members.
All of the killed residents are civilians, they were sleeping in their homes when the Israeli army shelled the civilian area.