"Combatants for Peace" condemns the aggressive take-over of the international flotilla on the dawn of the 31st of May 2010 and the killings of over 10 activists on the deck. The raid on civilian boats far out of the territorial waters of Israel, in an attempt to silence and prevent a legitimate act of protest and empathy, constitutes an additional step in the reduction of the available space for protest in Israel. The attempt to prevent a demonstration by using violent means is a dangerous one, and reflects the aggressive manner of handling the conflict, regardless of the behavior of some of the flotilla participants.
This is another expression of the belligerent, violent and oppressive policy which has been used by governments of Israel for over 4 decades and above all, by the current government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak and Avigdor Liberman. Continued
Thousands demonstrate in Tel Aviv against blockade
06/05/2010 Thousands of demonstrators from across the left-wing of Israeli politics held a rally in Tel Aviv Saturday afternoon to protest 43 years of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, and a government that organizers said is “drowning Israel”.
The protestors began their demonstration with a march from Rabin Square to the Tel Aviv museum, where speeches were held. The demonstration, which was held under the slogan "The Government is Drowning Us All", was originally planned solely to protest the occupation, but following last Monday’s deadly raid on a Turkish boat attempting to break the Gaza blockade, the rally also addressed those upset about the government’s policies in regard to the Gaza Strip and the raid that left 9 foreign citizens dead and several IDF soldiers wounded.
Periodically during the course of the demonstration, dozens of right-wing counter protestors attempted to disrupt the proceedings, and at one point a smoke grenade was thrown at the rally. While the main rally was proceeding at the museum, counter protestors gathered in an adjacent patch of sidewalk and sang praise for the Israeli Navy SEALS and performed renditions of the Israeli national anthem.
As busloads of left-wing activists drove past at the end of the evening, counter protestors chanted “traitors”, “terror supporters”, and “go to Gaza” behind a wall of border patrolmen and YASSAM riot police. Continued
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