Olmert admits Palestinian Arabs in Israel suffer discrimination

Monday October 13, 2008 03:06 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Outgoing Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, stated on Sunday that the Palestinian Arabs in Israel have long suffered from discrimination, and urged Arab and Israeli leaders to act for improving the relations between all citizens of Israel.

Olmert said that he has no doubt that discrimination against the Arab population existed since so many years and that this discrimination stemmed from a variety of reasons, Israeli online daily, Haaretz, reported.

The statements of Olmert came during a meeting with Arab leaders and representatives of the Arab community in Israel, including Shawki Khatib, head of the Higher Follow-up Committee, and several Arab members of Knesset, Haaretz added.

 The Arab officials handed Olmert a petition signed by more than 250.000 citizens who demanded the formation of a probe committee which will be in charge of re-examining the decision of Israeli Attorney General who decided not to indict any officer involved in the deadly shootings of October 2000 when Israeli policemen opened fire at Arab protesters and killed 13.

 Olmert responded by saying that he does not have the power to alter or appeal the decision of the attorney general, and added that there is a chance for discussing the way that would improve the relations between the Jews and Arabs.

 Also, Haaretz said that Israeli President, Shimon Peres met with several Palestinian Arab leaders on Sunday.

Both Olmert and Peres made comments that indicated that justice had not been served in the case of October 2000, but they also said that they have limitations regarding the decisions of the Attorney General.

Khatib stated that the Or Committee which was formed to investigate the 2000 events reached several findings, and added that if those findings were implemented the clashes in Acre could have been avoided.

Extremists attack several Arab homes in Akka; more Israeli right wingers flock into the city

Sunday October 12, 2008 05:32 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

Extremist Jewish rioters continued their attacks against Arab homes and property in Akka, especially in the Eastern neighborhood. Eyewitnesses reported that the attack was more violent than yesterday and that the mobs were surrounding an Arab home.

Dozens of Arab residents in Akka warned that hundreds of Jewish residents from Akka and different parts of the country could carry out crimes that would lead to the loss of life and slammed the police for practically begging the attackers to leave.

The angry mob burnt an empty Arab home located near the Magen David Adom (Israel's national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service) medical center.  

The Israeli online daily, Haaretz, reported that yesterday Jewish rioters set fire to two houses and on Saturday evening the rioters burned a third house.

The Israeli police said that four rioters were detained after the Arab houses were torched, but that two of the arrestees were released shortly afterward due to their young age.

 Several Arab members of the Knesset stated that the Israeli right wing escalated its racist campaign and incited the Arabic presence in Akka.

On Friday at night, extremists burnt two Arab homes in the Eastern neighborhood and attacked a third home. Several Arab families had to leave their homes and relocate to different areas, fearing further attacks against them.  

A senior Israeli police commander in the area said that the police would act with severity against the rioters and will use all available means to stop the riots.

Since the clashes started four days ago, the police have arrested thirty residents including the son of a driver who was attacked by several Jewish residents; the attack led to the ongoing clashes.

Furthermore, Haaretz reported that three Jewish rioters were wounded on Saturday evening during clashes which took place in northern Akka.

 The violence renewed amidst meetings between police officials and Arab leaders to calm the situation.

Haaretz also said that Jewish hackers broke into a Hebrew-language website and posted incitement calls against Arabs in addition to calling on the Jews to boycott all Arab-owned businesses.

The ongoing riots have resulted so far in the destruction of 40 shops and 100 vehicles; nearly 30 residents have been arrested, and twenty of them are still imprisoned.

Jewish gang burns Palestinian home in the fourth day of violence in Akka

Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies, Sunday October 12, 2008 - 03:11

Chanting “Death to Arabs”, a gang of 200 Israeli Jews set off from their neighborhood in Akka towards an indigenous Palestinian-Israeli neighborhood Saturday. They managed to set one house on fire before being stopped by Israeli police, who fired a water cannon at the crowd.

This march took place just hours after Israel's newly-elected Prime Minister Tzipi Livni traveled to the region to appeal for calm, as violent riots entered their fourth day. The town of Akka, or “Acre”, as it is known to Jewish Israelis, has been in turmoil since the evening of Yom Kippur four days ago.

Apparently, religious Jews in the town were offended when a Palestinian-Israeli resident in Akko drove his car on Yom Kippur. Jews are not allowed to drive on Yom Kippur, and while the Palestinian-Israeli who drove his car on the Jewish holiday is not Jewish, the Jewish-Israeli residents of the town were offended that he drove on their holiday.

Since that evening, Jewish-Israelis have been attacking Palestinian-Israelis in the town, going into their neighborhoods and attacking Palestinian-Israeli residents and their property. Akko, like every town in Israel that has both Jewish and Palestinian residents, is fully segregated, with very little crossover between neighborhoods. The attacks have led to stone throwing by Palestinian-Israeli youth, and the involvement of the Israeli police.

Israeli border guards pulled from West Bank, sent to quell Akka riots

Date: 12 / 10 / 2008  Time:  19:32
Bethlehem – Ma’an –

Dozens of troops from three special units of the Israeli border police have been transferred to the riot-affected northern Palestinian/Israeli town of Akka (Acre) from the Ramallah area of the West Bank.

The Hebrew edition of the Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot reported on Sunday that the so-called “Arabized” units of the border guards are moving into Acre to help keep the city calm after five days of clashes between Jewish and Palestinian Arab residents of the town.

The “Arabized” officers are normally tasked with blending in with the Palestinian population.

The rioting began on Wednesday night when Jewish teenagers attacked a Palestinian man who drove through a Jewish neighborhood of the town on the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year on the Jewish calendar.

The youths stoned the man for reportedly disturbing the peace on an evening designated for fasting and prayer.

West Bank, Gaza Palestinians see Israeli racism underlying Akka violence

Date: 12 / 10 / 2008  Time:  11:32
Gaza/Bethlehem – Ma’an –

Saturday marked the fourth day of violence in the northern Israeli city of Akka (Acre) as a third Arab home was set ablaze. Palestinians in the occupied territories condemned what they saw as Israeli attacks on their co-nationals residing inside Israel.

According to police, 54 suspected rioters have been arrested in four days of violence. The clashes began after Jewish youths assaulted a Palestinian resident who drove his car through a Jewish neighborhood of the city on the eve of the Jewish high holy day of Yom Kippur.

In addition, 14 residents were reported to have been hospitalized in the nearby city of Nahariya.

The presidency of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) condemned what it termed “Israeli aggression” in Acre.

The PLC condemned what it said was a “racist” Israeli policy to expel Palestinian residents from their land.

The PLC praised the “steadfastness” of Acre residents and called Palestinian residents of Israel and the West Bank to stand with them against Israeli actions.

Retaliation

At least two Palestinian armed groups vowed revenge against Israel.

The military wing of the radical Popular Resistance Committees in Gaza released a statement via leader Abu Abir saying, “the response to the Israeli attacks in Acre will come soon.”

Al-Nasser Brigades spokesman added, ”We will assure that our nation succeeds in both intifadas and they are ready for a third one to defend the Palestinian rights.”

For its part, National Resistance Brigades, the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) said that they would reserve the right to “retaliate” for

“ongoing Israeli atrocities against Palestinian people inside and outside the Green Line.”


***Updated at 13:33 local time