New Unrest on West Bank

An Arab youth was killed by Israeli soldiers in Nablus yesterday as a new wave of unrest erupted on the West Bank “on the occasion of May Day. Curfews were imposed in Nablus and in Tulkarem where rioters hurled rocks and set up roadblocks of burning tires. Demonstrators in Jenin were dispersed by security forces before any disturbances occurred.

The trouble in Nablus began with a boycott of classes by high school students who blocked streets with piles of burning tires. An Israeli army patrol, surrounded by rioting youths in an alley, fired into the air and then into the crowd. Samir Famha, 18, was fatally wounded. Thousands of Nablus residents attended his funeral later in the day. Heavy cordons of Israeli police were on hand but no incidents developed.

Meanwhile, some 4000 Israeli Arabs from all over Galilee gathered in Nazareth yesterday for a Communist-led May Day rally against the government. Arriving by the busload from towns and villages throughout the region, they assembled in the main square to hear both Israeli Communists and Arab leaders denounce the Rabin administration, the Knesset and the militant nationalist Gush Emunim. The demonstration was orderly but the speeches and slogans were provocative.

Among the latter were signs reading “Galilee is Arab–Jews Get Out” and “Rabin Get Out.” Speakers included Meir Wilner, leader of the pro-Moscow Rakah Communist Party and Ziad Tewfik, the Marxist Mayor of Nazareth. Tewfik declared that Israeli Arabs are part of the Palestinian nation and demanded that they be given 18 seats in the Knesset and at least three seats in the Cabinet. Samih el-Kasem, editor of the Arab Communist publication Al Itihad. read a poem claiming that all Israelis were murderers. He urged Arabs to use rocks and bottles against the armored vehicles of the “conquering army.”

JEWISH-ARAB AMITY

Jewish-Arab amity was demonstrated in a woodland near Mishmar HaEmek yesterday where about 20,000 persons, including some 2000 Arabs, assembled under the auspices of Mapam. Health Minister Victor Shemtov outlined Mapam policies calling for the evacuation of the Gush Emunim squatters from Kadum in Samaria and an expression of willingness by Israel to return to its pre-June 1967 borders in exchange for peace with its neighbors.

A May Day rally by the leftist Moked faction drew 200 people in Tel Aviv yesterday and another by Rakah and Matzpen was attended by about 400. The groups marched in orderly fashion down Dizengoff St. Minor incidents occurred when nationalist Betar youths tried to pull down red flags flying over local Hashomer Hatzair clubs.

In Jerusalem last night, police removed a bomb planted by terrorists in the main square and detonated it safely in an unpopulated area. The bomb, spotted by a passer-by, contained explosives linked to a battery and detonator. Last Wednesday night two police sappers were killed and four were injured while trying to dismantle a bomb left by terrorists on a side street in the center of town.