Videos of Tel Aviv rally & Ibrahim Abu Rahma's funeral

Video from the April 18 rally in Tel Aviv, condemning the murder of unarmed Palestinian protestor Bassem Ibrahim Abu Rahma in Bil'in, West Bank. MK Dov Khenin's speech in latter half of the video.


Bassem Ibrahim Abu Rahma's funeral, Bil'in, April 18


Another Israeli protest against murder of Palestinians


Blogs: International Solidarity Movement

Protest in Tel Aviv yesterday, condemning killing in Bil'in

More than a thousand people demonstrated in Tel Aviv yesterday evening, taking a procession outside the Security Ministry to protest their outrage over the murder of unarmed Palestinian demonstrator Ibrahim Abu Rahma in the West Bank village of Bil'in on Friday. At the end of the rally, Hadash Knesset member Dov Khenin caid that Abu Rahma had been killed in cold blood. Khenin also stated that Ehud Barak has a personal responsibility for the prevailing atmosphere in the occupied West Bank. In his speech, Khenin also mentioned the shooting of U.S. activist Tristan Anderson, who is yet to recover from his injuries.

Source and photo credit: Al-Itihad

Protest in Tel Aviv today, condemning the murder of Ibhrahim Abu Rahma in Bil'in

Dov Khenin, Knesset member of Hadash, has issued a call for peace forces to join a demonstration in Tel Aviv today April 18, to condemn the murder of Ibrahim Abu Rahma. The 30-year old Abu Rahma, was killed yesterday by Israeli Occupation Forces during a peaceful protest in Bil'in, West Bank. The rally will assemble at King George Avenue 19.30 p.m., and procede to the "Security" Ministry.

Fellow Hadash Knesset member, Afu Agbaria, has labelled the killing "a henious crime" and "a cold-blooded murder". Furthermore, he stated that "The martyrdom of the Palestinian demonstrator in Bil'in reveals the ugly face of the Government of Israel - the Lieberman rightwing of which is not interested in peace -, a Government which allows the fascist rightwing elements to wreak havoc, unleashes the army in order to protect the settlers so they can continue their attacks on the children of the Palestinian people."

Hadash vote

The Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (better known by its Hebrew acronym 'Hadash', meaning 'new'), the mass front of the Communist Party of Israel, appears to be getting four seats (up from three in 2006). The votes of the front has been increased by a quarter, and at its website it is declared that the result is "a victory of all the masses of our people".

In two subdistricts, Jezreel and Akko, Hadash became the largest party. In Nazareth, the party won 52% of the votes, in Umm al-Fahm (the largest Arab city in Israel) 54%, Mashhad 36%, Tur'an 47%, Shefa-'Amr 38%, Tamra 35%, Maghar 24%, etc. (Hadash has summarized the vote in Arab towns and villages here) In Haifa, the party got 4% of the votes, but dominated in several neighbourhoods. In Tel Aviv-Jaffa Hadash received 2%. The Arab neighbourhoods in the southern parts of the city, United Arab List (Ra'am)-Ta'al became the largest party. But Hadash presence has not limited to the Arab neighbourhoods, but spread in various other parts of the city. The party has noted an increasing support from young people in Tel Aviv.

The four Knesset members of the party will be Muhammad Barakeh, Hanna Sweid, Dov Henin and Abu Agberiah.

Hadash contested the elections on a platform opposing discrimination and social injustices. It campaigns for equality between Jews and Arab. During the Gaza massacre, it actively mobilized opposition to the bombings. In the election it ran the slogan 'Opposite of Lieberman: Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies' (see bumber sticker pictured), positioning itself as the main force for Jewish-Arab cohabitation. Having surpassed the traditional Zionist 'Left' (which supported the massacre in Gaza), Hadash is now the main left force in Israel. After the election result was declared, Dov Hanin stated that "Hadash is currently the largest left-wing movement in Israel, and we therefore have a great responsibility to advance and build the new Left that Israel so dearly needs. A new Left that can offer an real alternative to power politics, Jewish-Arab segregation, cruel capitalism and deepening environmental injustice."

The party has declared that it will not join any governing coalition.

The best result of Hadash in any election was in 1977, when it won five seats. In 2003 it had two seats, in 2006 three.



News on the elections: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Blogs: Esbati, Acidtrunk