Arab residents of Israel commemorate Land Day

Friday March 30, 2007 21:01

by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Arab residents of Israel, especially those in the Palestinian towns of Sakhneen, Al Taiba and Kufur Kanna, marched on Friday in commemoration of the Land Day. They carried Palestinian flags and chanted slogans condemning the Israeli policies of discrimination, land annexation and racism.

Protest commemorating Land Day on Friday - Arabs48 photo

In Al Taiba thousands of civilians, and leaders and representatives of Arab factions and institutions carried Palestinian flags and marched in the streets chanting slogans reaffirming their steadfastness and their support for their brothers in the occupied West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the Diaspora.

The procession started on Friday at 16:30 in the center of Al Taiba, and marched towards the Martyr's Memoriam where Al Taiba mayor Abdul-Hakim Haj Yahia, several leaders of national factions and members of the National Committee for Land Defense spoke to the crowd. they made speeches confirming the Arab steadfastness and rejection of the Israeli policies against the Arabs, Palestinians and their lands.

The main protest took place in Sakhneen city. Thousands of residents marched and carried Palestinian flags and the flags of national parties. In 1976, Sakhneen was the main city where clashes took place after the Israeli government decided to annex Arab lands in the Galilee.

The protesters carried posters and chanted slogans slamming the Israeli policies of discrimination against the Arab residents of what is now Israel, and the Palestinians.

“We are the native residents of this country”, they chanted, “We will not abandon our identity” and other slogans confirming the Palestinian and Arab steadfastness against the Israeli policies of 'land grab' tactics and the erasure the Palestinian identity.

Members of Knesset Mohammad Baraka, Jamal Zahalka, Wasil Taha, Hanna Suweid, Dov Hanin, and Abbas Zakkour participated in the protest. Leaders of progressive, national and Islamic faction also participated in the protest.

In Kufur Kanna, hundreds of residents marched towards the location where Mohsin Taha, one of its residents, was killed IN 1976. The protests then marched towards the Martyrs Graveyard in the town.

On March 30 1976, the Arabs and Palestinians voiced their rejection of the Israeli policies of racism and annexing the Palestinian lands.

On that day, six residents were killed by Israeli police, and the Palestinian and Arabs have been commemorating that day since then. The day become known as Land Day, a day of national rejection of the Israeli occupation, rejection of the Israeli annexation policies, and rejection of the Israeli racist policies against the Arabs and the Palestinians.

The six civilians who were killed on March 30th, 1976 were;

- Kheir Yassin from Arabba town.

- Yaja Abu Rayya from Sakhneen.

- Khader Khalaila from Sakhneen.

- Khadeeja Shawahna from Sakhneen.

- Mohsin Taha from Kafer Kanna.

- Ra’fat Al Zuheiry from Ein Shams.