- Title: ISRAEL: Israelia Arabs march against Gaza border closure
- Date: 10th February 2008
- Summary: (BN15) NAZARETH, ISRAEL (FEBRUARY 9, 2008) (REUTERS) WIDE OF THOUSANDS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING, CARRYING GREEN ISLAMIC MOVEMENT FLAGS
- Embargoed: 25th February 2008 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Israel
- Country: Israel
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA63Z3AHHP06PZ9ZPEZLMSYYIH9
- Story Text: Thousands of Israeli-Arab protesters filled the streets of the northern Israeli town of Nazareth on Saturday (February 9), calling for Israel to stop the blockade of Gaza.
The crowd largely consisted of women and children, who chanted and carried banners calling on Israel to open border crossings with Gaza for the movement of humanitarian aid and goods.
The protest was organized by the northern faction of the Islamic Movement, a political, religious and cultural organization for Israeli Muslims, and ended peacefully.
"This demonstration comes to express our solidarity with our Palestinian people in Gaza, and we are calling to stop the siege, to stop the military attacks from the Israeli military. We as integral part of the Palestinian people say to all the world that there are many pains for these people, they live in a very, very bad situation," said Abdel Hakim Moufid, member of the political bureau of the Islamic Movement.
Tav Jabareen, who came to the demonstration from the town of Umm el Fahm called on Palestinians to be united.
Israel said on Friday it had cut electricity supplies to Gaza as part of a campaign against militant attacks but stressed the reduction was minimal, amid international criticism.
It is the latest Israeli step to increase pressure on Gaza, ruled by Hamas Islamists since June, and follows Hamas's claim of responsibility for a suicide bombing in southern Israel on Monday, the first claimed by the group since 2004. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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