As the Israeli military launched its war on the Palestinian masses protesting against the killings of Palestinians following Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon's provocative visit to the al-Aqsa mosque on September 28, Arabs in Israel took to the streets to demonstrate their solidarity with the Palestinians. This report is by AZMI BISHARA.
The break-in to the Temple Mount has become a struggle against [Israeli Prime Minister Ehuk] Barak's attempts to dictate to the Palestinians the principles of the final status agreements. This Intifada against the dictates of Barak — the Intifada for al-Aqsa — erased overnight all the diplomatic achievements that Barak bragged about in recent times.
The Palestinian people are paying a heavy price. The arms used by Israel point to a pre-meditated plan prepared in the case of declaration of a Palestinian state, aimed at causing a high number of casualties. Israel does not avoid the use of combat helicopters and missiles, as it does not avoid direct fire on 12-year-old children or year-and-a-half old babies.
This is the first time that the Arab population of Israel has gone out into the streets in such a massive manner, and on an issue that does not involve it, or its rights, directly. The Arab population wanted to protest the brutal reaction of Israel against Palestinian citizens, and to pressure the government on the topic of al-Aqsa.
From a situation of dual marginality [within both Israeli and Palestinian societies], the Arab citizens of Israel have been put in a position of dual responsibility. The Arab citizens expressed political solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people for a just settlement against the dictates of Barak, both as citizens and as part and parcel of the Palestinian people. This is an important political shift that should not be underestimated.
The Minister of Police, Ben Ami, gave the same "blank cheque" [to stop the Arab protesters] that Barak issued [to the Israeli military] in the occupied territories. The rights of the Arab demonstrators, and the right to demonstrate, were confiscated.
The consequences are tragic: police shot rubber bullets as well as live ammunition at demonstrators in Um-El-Fahem, Sakhnin and Nazareth — and they shot to kill. Snipers killed an innocent boy in a demonstration in Jatt.
Just as Israel opened a new, more repressive chapter in its war against the intifada, the Israeli police have opened a new chapter in the violence against and repression of the Arab population.
[Abridged from the October 3 edition of Yediot Aharonot.]