Thousands of Arabs and Jews gathered in Nazareth on Saturday morning, April 27, to take part in the city’s annual May Day march organized by Hadash and the Communist Party of Israel (CPI). While keeping with the tradition of commemorating International Workers’ Day, the demonstrators also marched against the occupation as well as Israel’s repression of Palestinians in Gaza and the racist and neo-liberal social and economic policies of Netanyahu’s far-right government. Together the participants called for justice, peace, and workers’ rights.

Members of the Young Communist League of Israel (Banki-Shabiba) during yesterday’s May Day March held in Nazareth (Photo: Al Ittihad)

Among those who participated in Saturday’s march were the Secretary General of the CPI, Adel Amer, leading party activist, Mohammed Barakeh, a former MK and currently chairman of the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, Secretary General of Hadash Monsour Dehamshe, former MK and current head of the Emile Touma center, Issam Makhoul, newly elected Hadash MK Ofer Cassif, and former Hadash MKs Dov Khenin, Afu Agbarria and Abdullah Abu Maruuf.

The march ended around midday and was followed by a rally at the Ma’ayan Square where Amer, MK Cassif and other speakers addressed those gathered, stressing the determination of Hadash and the CPI to meet the challenges of an even more reactionary government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu than the one that held power during the last four years. At he end of the rally members of the Communist Party sang the “International.”

In Tel Aviv, social and union activists, youth groups, and left-wing political parties will convene this coming Tuesday, April 30, for the city’s May Day parade and rally. The march will begin at 17:00 at the Habima Square on Rothschild Boulevard and from there will proceed to Central Tel Aviv, where a rally will be held. At 20:00 a May Day meeting with former MK Khenin will be held at Hadash headquarters in the city, Hagada Hasmalit (Left Bank), 70 Ahad Ha’am Street.