Land Day was observed peacefully by Israel’s 700,000 Arabs Monday. But sporadic violence, school and shop closures in the West Bank and Gaza Strip demonstrated the contrasting moods and propensities of Palestinian Arabs who are citizens of Israel and those in the administered territories.
A curfew was imposed on the Balata refugee camp near Nablus Monday morning after youths hurled rocks at an Israel Defense Force patrol. Eight youngsters were arrested in Ramallah, near Jerusalem, for alleged incitement. Rubber bullets were fired at youths in nearby El Bireh who were throwing rocks. One Israeli soldier was slightly injured when a rock hit a private car he was driving.
A commercial strike was fully effective in Ramallah and schools remained closed for the day. But merchants in Nablus opened their doors, claiming they did so under pressure from the authorities. A commercial strike called in Gaza petered out shortly after it began.
Arab centers in Israel were calm. Life was normal, though thousands of Arabs assembled at three regional ceremonies to recall the events of 11 years ago.
Land Day originated in 1976 as a mass protest against the confiscation of Arab lands in Galilee to build Jewish settlements. What began as a general strike degenerated into violent demonstrations. Arab youths confronted soldiers and border police who gunned down six of them. The day has been one of mourning and protest by Palestinian Arabs ever since.
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