- Title: Israeli Arabs take to Jerusalem to protest against violence
- Date: 10th October 2019
- Summary: PROTESTERS GATHERING NEAR PRIME MINISTER OFFICE
- Embargoed: 24th October 2019 15:55
- Keywords: Israel Arabs protest car convoy Jeusalem violence
- Location: ROUTE 6, ISRAEL/ JERUSALEM
- City: ROUTE 6, ISRAEL/ JERUSALEM
- Country: Israel
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice
- Reuters ID: LVA003B0IKV2F
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thousands of Israeli Arab protesters flocked to Jerusalem in car convoys on Thursday (October 10) to stage a protest against what they say is Israeli police inaction to violent crimes in their towns.
Convoys of around 800 cars from northern and southern Israel made their way to Jerusalem where they set up a protest tent in front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.
Waving black flags and beeping their horns, the convoy from the northern town of Majd al-Krum, blocked traffic on Route 6, one of Israel's main roads.
The protest took place as Israeli Arab leaders were meeting in Tel Aviv with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs, Gilad Erdan, in efforts to resolve the ongoing crisis. The leaders said they plan to launch a hunger strike on Sunday (October 13) if the crisis was not resolved.
Netanyahu on Sunday (October 6) called on the Arab sector leadership to act responsibly and cooperate with the authorities in order to bring about a substantive change in the situation.
Members of the Arab community in Israel are mainly descendants of the Palestinians who remained in Israel after its creation in 1948. Some in the younger generation openly identify as Palestinian. They make up 1.9 million of Israel's population of 9 million, and often report discrimination in health, education and housing, living in cities such as Nazareth and Acre in the north and Bedouin towns in the southern Negev desert.
(Production: Lianne Back, Lee Marzel, Illan Rosenberg, Rami Amichay, Roleen Tafakji) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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