Demonstrations against the Israeli deadly military operation in Gaza were held in Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem on Thursday night by Hadash (The Democratic Front for Peace and Equality – Communist Party of Israel). Also, Arab and Jewish students, Hadash members, took part in demonstrations held at Haifa University, Tel-Aviv University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on Thursday afternoon.

Activists all over the country chanted slogan such as “Arabs and Jews refuse to be enemies,” “in Gaza and Sderot, little girls want to live,” and “Bibi [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] and [Defense minister Ehud] Barak, war is not a game.” Hadash called on the public to join in demonstrations throughout the country in opposition to Operation Pillar of Defense in Gaza.

Hadash MK Dov Khenin participated in the Tel-Aviv demonstration, near the Likud headquarters and stated: “Stop the killing, stop the bloodshed immediately.” He added: “One bombing leads to another, leading to more and more people being injured in Gaza and Israel.”

“The cycle of violence is not the solution but the problem,” he added. Khenin called on the government to reach an immediate cease-fire and announce the opening of genuine negotiations and an agreement with the Palestinians. At the rally in Tel Aviv, Hadash chairman, MK Muhammad Barake said Jews and Arabs together were calling for an end to the violence. “We came here to say that wars do not solve the conflict, only serve to add more bloodshed. We hope to hear the nation cry out against the right-wing government,” Barake said.

Hundreds attended the antiwar protest on King George Street in Tel Aviv, which was interrupted when an air raid siren was sounded in the city for the first time since 1991 during the First Gulf War. Two explosions were heard following the siren, an hour after a rocket from the Gaza Strip exploded in an open area outside Rishon Lezion. There were no reports of injuries in either strike. In Jerusalem police arrested five activists in the demonstration held near the Prime Minister’s house.

The Arab Higher Monitoring Committee said in a statement published on Thursday, “We oppose the attack on Gaza and the assassination of Palestinian people and leaders. Palestinian blood is more precious than the bloodshed the fascists are taking advantage of for publicity ahead of the Knesset elections. If the Israeli government thinks that this is the way to provide the settlers in the south with security, they are wrong. The Israeli government must take full responsibility for the people being killed on both sides – the Palestinian and the Israeli. The ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories is the main reason for everything that is happening here today.”

Related:

                    MK Barakeh and MK Khenin during the Tel-Aviv demonstration (3.41 min. in Hebrew):

                     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T32wQjPLA7A&feature=player_embedded