Nissan Ratzlav-Katz
On Monday, the Land of Israel Legal Forum asked authorities to prosecute Israeli citizens who took part in Land Day demonstrations in Yafo (Jaffa) and the Galilee city of Arabeh. Many of the protesters flew PLO flags and some called on the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine to carry out terrorist attacks against Jews in Israel.In his letter to the Attorney-General, Yitzchak Bam, a lawyer representing the legal advocacy group, explained that the PLO flag waving and calls for attacks constituted support for terrorism and incitement. "As the Attorney-General and the Prosecutor's Office enforce the law against flying the flags of designated terrorist groups such as Kach and Kahane Hai," the Forum said in a press release, "there is no reason to be lenient in enforcing the law against those who flew PLO flags."
The PLO is still a designated terrorist group under Israeli law, Bam noted, adding that flying its flag at such demonstrations is a clear violation of established anti-terror legislation. The PLO's late leader Yasser Arafat signed the Oslo Accords with Israel in 1993, yet continued to orchestrate terrorism and other violence against Israel from his position as Chairman of the Palestinian Authority.
The Forum included photographic evidence of the large number of PLO flags raised at the Land Day demonstrations, including clear pictures of many of the flag-wavers.
Land Day marks the anniversary of demonstrations, road-blockings, stonings, firebombings and rioting by Israeli-Arabs throughout the country in March of 1976, during which six people were killed by security forces. The spark for the initial confrontation in 1976 was incitement by Arab-Israeli political leaders over the implementation of an Israeli law granting the state eminent domain over lands abandoned by their Arab residents.
Thousands took part in the Land Day marches and protests on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, which were organized throughout the country. The slogan for this year's Land Day was "This is Our Homeland, We Will Go Nowhere Else."
Many of the protesters also called for political autonomy for Arabs in the Galilee.
Among the Israeli protesters were dozens of Druze residents of Galilee towns and even a handful of Jewish participants active in far-left organizations. Arabs in PA-administered areas marked Land Day as well on Sunday. Arab sources reported that four Arabs were injured in the course of a demonstration in Bethlehem and Arabs clashed with Israeli security forces in Shechem.
'PFLP, We Want a Terrorist Attack!'
In Arabeh, members of the Sons of the Village organization chanted, "Popular Front of ours, we want an attack from you!" At many of the events, alongside the PLO flags, some participants flew flags of the Islamic Movement.
Arabeh Mayor Ali Aasaleh called for Fatah and Hamas to unite for the sake of immediately establishing a new Arab state with Jerusalem as its capital. Many of the protesters also called for political autonomy for Arabs in the Galilee.
The spokesman for the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, Abed Antabtawi said at a Land Day demonstration: "This period is more dangerous [for Arabs] than the days of 1976. Today we are witnessing not only home demolition and ethnic cleansing in the mixed towns, but a wave of fascism. In 1976, the fascism was not institutionalized the way it is today. It was on the sidelines, but today it is in the center of society, in the government, and that is why this period is more dangerous."
Large groups of Israeli Arabs protested on Saturday as part of Land Day events in Wadi Ara and the Negev. Protestors gathered in Kalansawa to rally against the planned destruction of an illegally built structure there. In the Negev, protesters were joined by Arab politicians in a show of support for illegal Bedouin villages.
In a Land Day rally on Friday in Yafo, adjacent to Tel Aviv, Knesset Member Jamal Zahalka accused the government of attempting to expel local Arabs. Government officials "are imposing on us a conflict that we do not want, but one which we will face and realize our right to defend our homes," he said.
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