About 70 Arabs, protesting the existence of Israel and shouting "remember the massacre at Deir Yasin." demonstrated yesterday for an hour in front of the Israel Embassy. The group, calling itself the Committee for Arab-American Relations, chanted in Arabic and English and carried the pre-1948 Palestinian flag. Dr. M.H. Mehdi, an Arab propagandist who lead the protesters said the demonstration was to commemorate the "massacre" of 1948 in which a large number of Arabs were killed by right-wing Jewish terrorists. The incident was condemned by the Israeli government. Dr. Mehdi denounced Menahem Beigin as a "criminal" for having participated in the incident. "Now Beigin is a member of the Cabinet." Dr. Mehdi said. "This is similar to having Adolph Eichmann as a member of the German Cabinet." Mr. Beigin is minister without portfolio and leader of the Herut faction. Another, unidentified Arab participant in the demonstrations asserted, "We are not against Judaism. We are against Zionism. Judaism is a religion and we respect that, but Zionism is a political movement which we oppose." Several members of the group held up a replica of an Israeli flag and cut out the star in the center as a symbolic gesture to indicate a "Palestine" without Jewish "domination."
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
