Police detain 18 Israeli Arabs at Gaza solidarity event

By Esat Firat

HAIFA (AA) – Israeli police detained 18 Israeli Arabs Friday for protesting against the killings of Gazans.

In a written statement on social media, the Justice Law Center said Israeli police detained the Israeli citizens of Palestinian origin during a demonstration in the northern city of Haifa to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

During the demonstration, Palestinians called on Israel to lift the blockade on Gaza, end the occupation and end attacks against peaceful demonstrators.

A large number of Palestinian citizens of Israel, including Parliament members Cemal Zahalka and Hanin Zuubi, were beaten when Israeli police intervened in the demonstration, an eyewitness told Anadolu Agency.

On Monday, at least 62 Palestinian demonstrators were martyred and hundreds more injured by Israeli troops deployed along the other side of the Gaza-Israel fence.

Monday’s demonstration coincided with Israel’s 70th anniversary -- an event Palestinians refer to as Nabka or “the Catastrophe” -- and the relocation of the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

Since the Gaza rallies began on March 30, more than 100 Palestinian demonstrators have been martyred by Israeli army gunfire.

Last week, the Israeli government claimed the ongoing border protests constituted a “state of war” in which international humanitarian law does not apply.