Categories: News

Israelis lament ‘racism downside’ as Jerusalem march turns ugly

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Israeli police estimated that greater than 70,000 folks took to the streets of the flashpoint city for a Jerusalem Day flag march, which has change into a magnet for far-right Jewish extremists. CNN journalists on the bottom witnessed a few of these marching hurled insults, punches and objects at Palestinians, journalists and police.

At one level, teams have been chanting “dying to Arabs,” and “Arabs are sons of b*tches.” One marcher was filmed chanting “Shireen is useless, Palestine is useless,” in reference to Shireen Abu Akleh, the Al Jazeera reporter who was killed whereas protecting an Israeli army raid within the West Financial institution earlier this month.

It was a chaotic Sunday within the slender streets of the Outdated Metropolis as clashes broke out between the marchers and Palestinians in addition to Israeli police and Palestinians. CNN’s staff on the bottom witnessed a number of violent encounters the place marchers attacked Palestinians and journalists — together with CNN workers — with pepper spray, in addition to sticks and bottles thrown at reporters gathered to cowl the march. Police have been seen tackling an older Palestinian man who had positioned himself between reporters and the marchers to wave a Palestinian flag.

A number of Israeli politicians condemned the actions of the members, whereas commentators famous that the march has change into overrun by right-wing extremists and Jewish settlers — and is basically averted by secular Israelis and ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett condemned in an announcement what he mentioned was “a minority that has come to set the realm ablaze,” whereas Overseas Minister Yair Lapid said the extremist teams La Familia and Lehava, whose flags have been raised through the procession, “don’t deserve to hold the Israeli flag.”

Safety Minister Omer Bar-Lev defended approving the route of the march by means of the Muslim quarter of the Outdated Metropolis, writing on Twitter: “If we succumb to the threats of terrorism to not wave Israeli flags in our capital, we is not going to know in the future of silence, and we are going to discover ourselves folding sooner or later as effectively.” However he additionally condemned what he mentioned was “ugly racist habits that can not be tolerated.”

Israel considers each japanese and western sectors of Jerusalem as its “undivided capital.” Many of the worldwide group considers the japanese sector as being occupied. East Jerusalem has a large inhabitants of Palestinians, who need that a part of town to be the capital of a future state.

Issawi Frej, Minister of Regional Cooperation and the second ever Muslim minister in an Israeli authorities, said on Facebook that he boycotted authorities conferences on Sunday “in mild of what’s occurring in Jerusalem and within the entirety of the decision-making course of relating to right now, the place I attempted to vary the course of the Flag March and work to calm the state of affairs in useless.”

Michal Rozin, a member of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, tweeted a video of a younger Jewish man waving an Israeli flag like a weapon towards a gaggle of younger Palestinians.

“If anybody has not but understood why the flag parade has change into a present of bullying and violence, this video from Nablus Gate may be capable to sharpen it,” she wrote, referring to one of many gates of the Outdated Metropolis. “My flag is just not a weapon.”

Yaakov Katz, editor-in-chief of the English newspaper Jerusalem Put up, wrote in a column that “there’s a unhappy conclusion we can not ignore: Israel has a racism downside, and it rears its ugly head on Jerusalem Day.”

Yedioth Ahronoth Columnist Nahum Barnea wrote that the day has been taken over by settlers and non secular Zionists who flip it right into a day that’s “Not love for Jerusalem; however hatred for Arabs.”

The digest

Fourteen-year-old shot and killed by Israeli forces, Palestinians say

Zaid Saeed Ghuneim was shot and killed by Israeli forces within the West Financial institution city of Bethlehem late Friday, in accordance with the Palestinian Ministry of Well being. The ministry mentioned he was rushed to hospital with bullet wounds in his neck and again, however docs have been unable to avoid wasting him. The Israeli army informed CNN that a number of troopers within the Al-Khader space of Bethlehem have been conducting a “routine safety exercise” within the space when “suspects hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails on the troopers, endangering their lives”. In pursuing the assailants, the troopers responded with dwell fireplace, injuring one of many suspects, in accordance with the army.

Background: Zaid’s household mentioned he had simply completed dinner and was on his method to his grandparents’ home when he was shot. His brother Yazan informed CNN that his Zaid was hiding in a storage when Israeli troopers cornered him. An eyewitness confirmed CNN a video she took instantly after the incident. Within the footage, there may be blood pooled on the ground of a parking storage and smeared throughout a automobile. She mentioned she noticed Zaid run into the storage and heard him plead for his life.

Why it issues: That is the second killing of a minor by Israeli forces in lower than every week, after a string of raids throughout the West Financial institution. Whereas protecting a type of raids, Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was additionally shot and killed by what the Palestinian Legal professional Common described as a focused assault by Israeli troopers.

Court docket jails Egyptian former presidential candidate for 15 years

An Egyptian court docket sentenced former presidential candidate Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh and several other distinguished figures from the banned Muslim Brotherhood to prolonged jail phrases on Sunday on accusations together with plotting to overthrow the state. Aboul Fotouh was sentenced to 15 years in jail, topic to enchantment, the court docket ruling mentioned.

Background: Aboul Fotouh stop the Muslim Brotherhood in 2011 after disagreements over the function of faith in politics and based the extra centrist Sturdy Egypt get together, launching an impartial bid for the presidency in 2012. The inside ministry later accused him of assembly Brotherhood leaders to stir unrest, which he denied. He was arrested in February 2018 after giving interviews that have been important of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a month earlier than Sisi was re-elected.

Why it issues: Rights teams say hundreds of politicians, activists and journalists are detained in Egypt after unfair trials or with out authorized foundation. Aboul Fotouh is in his early 70s and in accordance with his household suffers from a number of medical circumstances.

Erdogan says he will not let ‘terrorism-supporting’ nations enter NATO

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan mentioned talks with Finland and Sweden about their becoming a member of NATO weren’t on the “anticipated stage” and Ankara can not say sure to “terrorism-supporting” nations, state broadcaster TRT Haber reported on Sunday.

Background: Turkey challenged the bids from Sweden and Finland on the grounds that the nations harbor folks linked to the Kurdistan Employees Social gathering (PKK) militant group and others it deems terrorists, and since they halted arms exports to Ankara in 2019. Sweden and Finland have mentioned they condemn terrorism and welcomed the potential for coordinating with Ankara.

Why it issues: Erdogan’s newest feedback point out his opposition to Sweden and Finland becoming a member of the Western protection alliance continues. Turkey’s objection is holding up a deal that might enable for a historic enlargement following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

What’s trending

Saudi Arabia: #Boycotting_Cafes

Saudia Arabia designated 2022 because the ‘Yr of Saudi espresso,’ however some Saudi Twitter customers at the moment are calling for the boycott of espresso retailers. What went improper?

The social side of espresso consuming in Saudi Arabia is held dearly, with decorum dictating how espresso must be drunk and which hand it must be poured with. Espresso is a delicate subject within the nation and any risk to the tradition surrounding it’s taken critically.

Saudis on social media say they’ve had it with what see as exaggerated costs for the drink because the tradition strikes from conventional Arabic espresso to Western-style cafes the place a cup prices as a lot as 30 riyals ($8). Many customers mentioned costly cups have been “principally ice” and tasted like on the spot espresso.

The rise of such retailers launched drinks just like the “Spanish latte” (as a restaurant con leche is understood), the macchiato, and others. Twitter customers identified that cheaper espresso choices do exist, however folks hunt down “excessive” drinks.

In response to Statista, the common worth of espresso beans in Saudi Arabia additionally jumped from 28.6 riyals per kilogram in 2011 to 38.9 in 2020.

The federal government, in an effort to capitalize on the worldwide espresso craze, plans to localize manufacturing. This month, the dominion’s sovereign wealth fund established the $320 million Saudi Espresso Firm, aiming to play a job in “growing sustainable espresso manufacturing within the southern Jazan area, dwelling to the world-famous Coffea Arabica.”

By Mohammed Abdelbary