Peace and Justice Post

(AFP)

ARABA, Israel — Arab Israelis staged a general strike on Thursday to protest what organisers called “racist” policies and to mark the ninth anniversary of demonstrations at which police killed 13 Arabs.

The strike culminated in a rally in the northern Israel village of Araba, where thousands of people chanted “with our blood, with our souls, we will protect you Palestine.”

A woman carried a picture of her young son who died in October 2000 when Israeli police killed 13 Arab Israelis who took part in protests that broke out days after the Palestinian uprising, or intifada, started.

“The government is run by gangsters, not statesmen,” the 58-year-old said.

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