Thousands Rally in Nazareth vs. Occupation & for an Independent Palestinian State alongside Israel

Thousands demonstrated in Nazareth on Saturday afternoon, October 10, while Palestinian protests continued throughout the West Bank, around Jerusalem, and along the border of the Gaza Strip.

In Nazareth, Arabs and Jews took part in a demonstration organized by the Jewish-Arab Hadash front and the Communist Party of Israel (CPI). The protest was called to express dissatisfaction with the government’s occupation policy and to call for the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. “Netanyahu, resign – peace is worth more!” and “Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies!” chanted the demonstrators.

Thousands march in the rally in Nazareth on Saturday, October 10. Among the marchers were all MKs of Hadash: Joint List chairman Aymen Odeh, Dov Khenin, Aida Touma-Sliman, Yousef Jabareen and Abdallah Abu Ma'aruf.

Thousands march in the rally in Nazareth on Saturday, October 10. Among the marchers were all MKs of Hadash: Joint List chairman Aymen Odeh, Dov Khenin, Aida Touma-Sliman, Yousef Jabareen and Abdallah Abu Ma’aruf.(Photo: Al Ittihad)

Several public figures took part in the Nazareth protest including mayors, university lecturers, and leading members of the Histadrut (Federation of Labor in Israel). All Hadash members of the Knesset took part in the demonstration: Ayman Odeh, Dov Khenin, Abdallah Abu Ma’arouf, Yousef Jabareen and Aida Touma-Sliman (Joint List). In a meeting of Hadash leaders held following the rally, former MK and Hadash chairman Muhammad Barakeh, the General Secretary of the CPI Adel Amer, and a member of the CPI Central Committee, Noa Levy also participated.

A day earlier, Friday, hundreds of Hadash and Communist Party of Israel activists held a protest in central Tel Aviv, calling to renew peace talks with the Palestinian Authority and to put an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. Among the demonstrators were members of Meretz, Gush Shalom, Ma’avak Sotzialisti, Women in Black and Breaking the Silence.  Demonstrators chanted slogans such as “The only answer to the Right: Israel and Palestine.”

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