March in Umm-al-Fahm
Last week on Tuesday a march took place in Umm-al-Fahm, one of the biggest Arab towns in central Israel. Actually the march did not occur in the town center, but on its outskirts as a compromise to avoid conflict, because this march was by a group of Israeli nationalists, or Zionists, who wanted to march with the Israeli national flag. Now since Umm-al-Fahm is in Israel, you'd think that this would not be a problem, but it is known as a center of the Islamic League and is a hot-bed of radical Palestinian politics. There they march with the Palestinian flag.
The idea for the march started during the national election campaign several months ago, when Baruch Marzel, the leader of a small right wing group, advertized that he and some of his followers would go to Umm-al-Fahm to canvass for his party. The local Arab organizations, the Muslim League and others, brought a case that went to the Supreme Court trying to bar his doing this. The Supreme Court ruled that he did have the right to march in Umm-al-Fahm, since it is a part of the State of Israel and there is freedom of assembly. But, in order to avoid a provocation they would be limited to the outskirts of the town and to only 100 people. Marzel accepted this compromise and so the march finally took place.
There were about 500 Arab demonstraters trying to prevent the march, but the police outnumbered the demonstrators about 5 to 1, and they protected the marchers who went ahead with Israeli flags flying. Most of the demonstrators were young men wearing masks and throwing stones. When they started to throw Molotov cocktails, the police swept in, there was a violent mini-riot and about 30 people were arrested. The police fired rubber bullets and tear gas, but apparently noone was killed or injured, so the police seem to have learned some lessons from previous Arab riots. About 10 of those arrested were charged with various offences, and the day after the place was cleared up and Umm-al-Fahm returned to normal. The local Arab authorities (Mayor, etc.) were kept informed of the situation and things were worked out smoothly.
This march in Umm-al Fahm has been compared to the march of the Nazis in Skokie, Illinois in the 1960s, since there were a lot of Jews living there, including Holocaust survivors. Although they also took a case to the Supreme Court, it was ruled that the march could go ahead. In the East End of London in the 1930's the Blackshirts also held marches that went through Jewish neighborhoods and were protected by the police.
The main difference in this situation is that the marchers wanted to carry the Israeli flag, the national State emblem, that should be allowed in any part of the State, even where Arabs dwell, and this flag should not be a provocation to any of its citizens. In fact, if you take a poll of Israeli Arabs, as has been done, the vast majority of them (ca. 70%) say that they prefer to remain Israeli citizens even if a Palestinian State is founded. They are realistic, they know that they are much better off economically in Israel, and they are safe from being murdered or arrested by one political faction or another (as Fatah and Hamas are currently doing to each other). Now if the Arabs in Umm-al-Fahm marched with Israeli flags that would negate the need for a group of Zionist Jews doing so.
Avigdor Lieberman has been called a "racist" because he proposed a loyalty oath that all citizens should take swearing allegience to the State (very much as done in the USA). That is the minimum that the State should expect of any of its citizens. Further, Lieberman and his Party, Israel Beitanu (Israel our homeland), has proposed that any region of Arab majority should be transferred to a future Palestinian State, since that is their ethnic identification and everyone knows that they are not loyal to Israel, the Jewish State. So far such a proposal cannot be tested because there is no negotiation between Israel and the PA over borders, but it is a conceivable solution (not involving "transfer of populations" but transfer of areas). As I noted Israeli Arabs don't want to be part of a Palestinian State, but they are also not overtly loyal to Israel. They can't continue to have it both ways.
The idea for the march started during the national election campaign several months ago, when Baruch Marzel, the leader of a small right wing group, advertized that he and some of his followers would go to Umm-al-Fahm to canvass for his party. The local Arab organizations, the Muslim League and others, brought a case that went to the Supreme Court trying to bar his doing this. The Supreme Court ruled that he did have the right to march in Umm-al-Fahm, since it is a part of the State of Israel and there is freedom of assembly. But, in order to avoid a provocation they would be limited to the outskirts of the town and to only 100 people. Marzel accepted this compromise and so the march finally took place.
There were about 500 Arab demonstraters trying to prevent the march, but the police outnumbered the demonstrators about 5 to 1, and they protected the marchers who went ahead with Israeli flags flying. Most of the demonstrators were young men wearing masks and throwing stones. When they started to throw Molotov cocktails, the police swept in, there was a violent mini-riot and about 30 people were arrested. The police fired rubber bullets and tear gas, but apparently noone was killed or injured, so the police seem to have learned some lessons from previous Arab riots. About 10 of those arrested were charged with various offences, and the day after the place was cleared up and Umm-al-Fahm returned to normal. The local Arab authorities (Mayor, etc.) were kept informed of the situation and things were worked out smoothly.
This march in Umm-al Fahm has been compared to the march of the Nazis in Skokie, Illinois in the 1960s, since there were a lot of Jews living there, including Holocaust survivors. Although they also took a case to the Supreme Court, it was ruled that the march could go ahead. In the East End of London in the 1930's the Blackshirts also held marches that went through Jewish neighborhoods and were protected by the police.
The main difference in this situation is that the marchers wanted to carry the Israeli flag, the national State emblem, that should be allowed in any part of the State, even where Arabs dwell, and this flag should not be a provocation to any of its citizens. In fact, if you take a poll of Israeli Arabs, as has been done, the vast majority of them (ca. 70%) say that they prefer to remain Israeli citizens even if a Palestinian State is founded. They are realistic, they know that they are much better off economically in Israel, and they are safe from being murdered or arrested by one political faction or another (as Fatah and Hamas are currently doing to each other). Now if the Arabs in Umm-al-Fahm marched with Israeli flags that would negate the need for a group of Zionist Jews doing so.
Avigdor Lieberman has been called a "racist" because he proposed a loyalty oath that all citizens should take swearing allegience to the State (very much as done in the USA). That is the minimum that the State should expect of any of its citizens. Further, Lieberman and his Party, Israel Beitanu (Israel our homeland), has proposed that any region of Arab majority should be transferred to a future Palestinian State, since that is their ethnic identification and everyone knows that they are not loyal to Israel, the Jewish State. So far such a proposal cannot be tested because there is no negotiation between Israel and the PA over borders, but it is a conceivable solution (not involving "transfer of populations" but transfer of areas). As I noted Israeli Arabs don't want to be part of a Palestinian State, but they are also not overtly loyal to Israel. They can't continue to have it both ways.
posted by Jack Cohen at 8:17 AM
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