Several thousand people marched in Sakhnin on Monday to protest the failure of the state to prosecute anyone for the death of 13 Arab-Palestinians. The march was held on the 12th anniversary of the demonstrations that broke out in Arab cities and towns across the north of Israel in October 2000, in the start of the second Intifada. The thirteen who died were 12 Israeli citizens and one Palestinian youth, who was a resident of Dir al-Balah, but killed in Umm al-Fahm.

Since Monday morning, commemoration ceremonies were held in various cemeteries in the communities where the 13 were killed. At the same time, a convoy of vehicles set out from the village of Jat in the Triangle in the direction of Umm al-Fahm, Nazareth, Arabeh, and  Sakhnin, where the main processions were held.  Marches took place in several cities and villages across the country, including: Nazareth, Kafr Kanna, Arabeh, Umm al-Fahm, and Rahat, among others and wreaths were placed on the graves of the dead

The protesters carried Palestinian flags and black banners of mourning, as well as posters that read: “The blood of the martyrs is dear to us” and “We shall not forgive the killers.” The daily newspaper “Al-Ittihad”, published on Sunday a declaration of Hadash (The Democratic Front for Peace and Equality – Communist Party of Israel). According to the declaration the protests were particularly important given the mounting fascism and racism in the official Israeli establishment.