Land Day, a traditional day of protest against the confiscation of Arab lands in Galilee 10 years ago, was marked by Israeli Arabs Sunday.
It was the most orderly and peaceful Land Day on record and while the government was spared no criticism at the three major rallies, the atmosphere was one of dialogue, not confrontation. The few attempts at provocative acts, such as raising Palestinian flags, were promptly squelched by the rally organizers.
A call for an Arab general strike by the leftist Progressive List for Peace went unheeded. Instead, thousands of Israeli Arabs assembled at Deir Hanna in Galilee, in Taibe, near Kfar Saba, and in Tel Sheva in the Negev where speakers dealt mainly with local problems.
The rallies were organized by a strong coalition of the Rakah Communist Party, the National Committee of Arab Mayors and the National Committee for the Protection of Land. Rakah, which is dominant in those bodies, credited itself with maintaining good order. It proved once again that it is indeed the dominant force among Israel’s Arabs.
REASON FOR MODERATION
The moderation succeeded, however, because it was the expression of the Arab populace which recognizes that more can be achieved by means of dialogue with the government than by confrontation. In recent months, in fact, every major issue of conflict with the government has been resolved through negotiations.
Dr. Yosef Ginat, a senior aide to Minister Without Portfolio Ezer Weizman, explained that “Land Day has lost most of its original significance because since 1976 there has been no confiscation of Arab land, and there will be no such confiscation in the future.” He credited the “maturity and responsibility” of Israel’s Arabs and the “wise policy” of the government.
TROUBLE IN THE TERRITORIES
But all was not peaceful in the administered territories. An Israeli border police patrol fatally shot an Arab youth at the Al-Burj refugee camp in Gaza Monday after he allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at the police, none of whom was hurt. Police said the youth was shot when he attempted to flee and ignored warnings to halt.
A partial curfew was in effect in Jericho Monday morning. Molotov cocktails were thrown at an army patrol Sunday evening in that normally quiet West Bank town. A demonstration was dispersed at the Balata refugee camp near Nablus, a frequent scene of violence. Rocks were thrown at Israeli vehicles from the Dahaishe refugee camp near Bethlehem. Both camps were placed under curfew.
The territories were reported quiet Monday, in part because of heavy rains and generally bad weather, which puts a damper on terrorist activities.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
