Israeli daily, Haaretz, reported Friday that nearly 2000 Israelis and Arabs marched on Friday in occupied Jerusalem calling for the recognition of an independent Palestinian State. Fundamentalist Israeli right-wingers tried to disrupt the procession.Haaretz stated that the procession was coordinated with the police after the organizers vowed to prevent any violence.
The peaceful protestors carried signs calling for an independent Palestinian State, and signs that quoted South African civil rights and anti-apartheid leader, Nelson Mandela, stating “Only Free Men Can Negotiate”.
The procession was attended by a number of Israeli Members of Knesset such as Dov Hanin of the Hadash Party, and Zehava Galon of Meretz.
The procession started from the Jaffa Gate in occupied East Jerusalem then followed the Green Line that divided East and West Jerusalem before the 1967 six-day war, and ended at the Sheikh Jarrah Palestinian neighborhood, subject to frequent Israeli settler attacks and take-over of Palestinian homes.
Event organizers stated that Palestinian independence is an international Palestinian right, guaranteed by International Law, and that achieving this independence is the only way to end the ongoing violence and conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
Extremist Israeli rights wingers attempted to disrupt the procession, and conducted a counter protest.
