13 Palestinians Killed in Clashes with Police inside Israel
Since Sunday October 1, 2000, thirteen Palestinian citizens of Israel have been killed in clashes with Israeli police in the Arab towns of Umm el Fahem, Jat, Nazareth, Ma’awia, Arrabe, Sakhnin, Kufr Manda, and Kufr Kana. The deaths were the result of the police’s brutal attempts to contain protests, which have been widespread in Israel for 10 days.
On Thursday, September 28, Likud leader, Ariel Sharon, provoked demonstrations by visiting Haram Al-Sharif (Temple Mount). Protests continued, and on Friday, several Palestinians were killed and hundreds injured by Israeli security forces at Al Aksa Mosque in Occupied East Jerusalem. In response to this violence, Palestinians staged demonstrations throughout the Occupied Territories and in Israel. Dozens of Palestinian protesters were killed and thousands were injured in the Occupied Territories.
The High Follow Up Committee on Arab Affairs called a general strike on Sunday October 1, in response to the violence in the Occupied Territories. The strike received widespread support from Palestinians in Israel, who demonstrated their solidarity with Palestinians living in the Occupied Territories.
On Sunday, October 1, Israeli police attacked protesters in Umm el Fahem, Nazareth and Kufr Kanna. Police entered these Arab towns and injured hundreds of civilian protesters by using live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas. In Umm al-Fahem, two demonstrators were shot with live ammunition in the head and chest, and died from their injuries.
On Monday, October 2, there were further clashes between Arab demonstrators and police. Police surrounded and closed several Arab villages and main roads adjacent to the villages throughout the country. Elsewhere, another six people were killed and hundreds injured as a result of the police’s brutal response to the demonstrations. Hundreds of police occupied Nazareth resulting in a two-hour confrontation. The police used snipers shooting with live ammunition from rooftops during the confrontation.
On Sunday, October 8, Omar Mohammad Akawi (42) and Wasam Yizbek (25), two Palestinian citizens of Israel, were killed when hundreds of Jewish residents from Nazareth Illit attacked the eastern neighborhood of Nazareth. They hurled stones and shot at Palestinian houses, attempted to set the houses on fire and fired live ammunition at Palestinians. Police protected the Jewish Israelis and allowed them to continue their attack on Palestinian citizens of Israel. Akawi was killed with live ammunition. Four other Palestinian citizens of Israel were brought to the hospital in critical condition. 25 Palestinians were injured.
The thirteen Palestinian citizens of Israel who have been killed in Israel since Friday, October 29, include: Ahmed Ibrahim Jabarin (19 yrs from Umm el Fahem), Mohammed Mahmud Jabarin (24 yrs from Umm el Fahem), Rami Gharra (21 yrs from Jat), Eyad Sobhi Lawabny (29 yrs from Nazareth), Mustapha Abu-Jared (15 yrs from Gaza--lived and worked in Umm el Fahem), Ala Khaled Nasser (22 yrs from Arrabe), Aseel Hassan Atili (18 yrs from Arrabe), Emad Faraj Ghanem (25 yrs from Sakhnin), Waleed Abd el-Menem Abu Saleh (21 yrs from Sakhnin), Ramez Abbas Bushnaq (25 yrs from Kufr Manda), Mohammed Khalib Hamaysa (21 yrs from Kufr Kan'na), Omar Mohammed Akawi (42 yrs from Nazareth) and Wasam Yizbek (25 yrs from Nazareth).
Clashes between demonstrators and Israeli police are ongoing.
