Demonstrators block major road in protest over home demolition

Thousands of Arab-Palestinians blocked Route 65 in Wadi Ara (Northern Israel) on Friday protesting the demolition  of a house belonging to Abu Sharkiye family which the government claims was built illegally. Protesters hurled stones, while police forces fired  tear gas and shock grenades. The police arrested two demonstrators for allegedly “attacking officers.” The house which was demolished, sparking the protest, was built 40 years ago.

Ahmad Melhem, chairman of the popular committee in Wadi Ara, said he was hurt during the clashes when he tried to defend demonstrators from police aggression. “Our plan was to protest but not to engage in clashes, but the police responded with exaggerated violence and we collected dozens of stun and tear gas grenades.”


The secretary of Hadash Ayman Odeh (Photo: Al Ittihad)

The secretary of Hadash, Ayman Odeh, was at the scene and said that the protesters were not looking for a confrontation with the police.  “No one wants to clash with the police,” he said. “But the authorities need to understand that… the public’s distress is real and the government and the Interior Ministry must begin to listen to the Arab public.”