[Mondoweiss, CNN]
“Palestinians in Jerusalem are reeling from a night of racist, anti-Arab violence that left over a hundred Palestinians wounded and dozens detained, following an ultra-right wing Israeli demonstration in the city.”
“On Thursday evening hundreds of Israelis marched from the Zion Gate outside the Old City to the Damascus Gate area — the entrance to the Muslim Quarter of the Old City — as part of demonstration organized by the far-right, anti-Palestinian group Lehava.”
“During the march, which was advertised as a demonstration to “restore Jewish dignity” to the city, crowds of Israelis chanted various anti-Palestinian slogans, including “Death to Arabs” and “may your village burn.””
“According to Israeli media, the march was widely publicized on social media in the days leading up to Thursday, with many of the Israeli activists calling for violence and urging people to arm themselves.”
“Haaretz noted that one of the social media groups was administered by Israeli Knesset member Itamar Ben-Gvir. In the group, one member allegedly called for Palestinians to be hanged, while another said “We’re burning Arabs today, the Molotov cocktails are already in the trunk.””
“Videos and photos of Israeli mobs harassing and attacking Palestinian pedestrians, and attacking Palestinian buses and homes with rocks, flooded social media.”
“Israeli media reported that Israeli police prevented the far-right groups from entering the Palestinian neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, but other reports from Palestinian media and local activist accounts claimed that some Israelis did enter into the neighborhood and attacked several homes.”
“Dozens of Palestinians attempted to gather in a counter protest against the far-right Israeli groups, but were largely suppressed by Israeli forces, who fired rubber bullets, stun grenades, and skunk water at Palestinians.”
“At least two Israelis were injured during the ensuing clashes, including a soldier who was videotaped being thrown in the face with a stone, and an Israeli civilian was beat up by a group of Palestinians, and his car subsequently set on fire.”
“According to Haaretz, more than 50 people were arrested throughout the course of the night, including Palestinians and members of the far-right Israeli groups.”
“The racist anti-Arab march on Thursday and the ensuing violence came after a week of tension in the city, and reports of several violent incidents and attacks on Palestinians throughout Jerusalem and other cities inside Israel.”
“Just two days before, a large group of Israeli youth were recorded marching through the streets of Jerusalem chanting “Death to Arabs.” Israeli media reported that the group were “looking for Arabs” and would attack anyone who they found to be Palestinian.“
“On Sunday, Israeli police fired water cannons and stun grenades at a group of Palestinians who were protesting against the recent installation of fencing around Damascus Gate that prevents people from gathering in groups and sitting on the steps outside the entrance to the Old City — a historic gathering place for Palestinians year round, particularly during Ramadan.”
“According to Israeli media, the spate of anti-Arab attacks in Jerusalem as well as Thursday’s mob-like demonstration were in response to a video of a young Palestinian man slapping slapping an orthodox Jewish man on the Jerusalem light-rail earlier in the week.”
“The video was filmed by and posted on TikTok by a Palestinian user, and made its rounds on Israeli media networks and social media sites, causing uproar. The Palestinian suspect, reportedly a resident of the Shufat refugee camp, was arrested by Israeli forces shortly after the incident.”
“the current violence comes on the heels of Israel’s fourth election, in which Israeli politicians openly voiced their support for policies advocating for the separation of Jews and Arabs and the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements.”
“In East Jerusalem, thousands of Palestinians are currently under threat of being forcibly evicted from their homes, and replaced with Israeli settlers — all of which is sanctioned by the Israeli judicial system.”
“Palestinians in East Jerusalem struggle to hold onto their homes in the face of Israel’s rapidly growing settler movement in the city. With the support of the state, Israeli settler organizations have taken control of dozens of properties within Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem, and have launched lengthy legal battles against Palestinian families in efforts to evict them from their homes.”
“In 2019, Israel demolished a record number of homes in occupied East Jerusalem, the most in the past 15 years, according to Israeli rights group B’Tselem.“
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According to CNN, “Lehava has been emboldened by the recent election to the Israeli parliament of several extremist-racist politicians, all of whom have been openly courted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his ongoing attempts to form a new government.”
Read more: Israeli mobs chant ‘Death to Arabs’ in night of violence in Jerusalem and Dozens of Palestinians injured in police clashes as Jewish extremists chanting ‘Death to Arabs’ march in Jerusalem
2021-week20
