Palestinians outraged by Israeli regime complicity with criminal gangs

Spiraling levels of crime and violence in Palestinain communities as well as the Israeli police’s inaction to curb violence has outraged Palestinian citizens of Israel, prompting tens of thousands of them to express their resentment by staging a mass demonstration.

According to reports, the protesters took to the streets in the city of Umm al-Fahm, located 20 km northwest of Jenin in what some reporters described as the largest rally against violence and organized crime in the Israeli-occupied territories since the 1980s.

The protesters managed to converge on Umm al-Fahm, even though Israeli military forces had blocked main roads leading to the city.

The demonstrators carried Palestinian flags and placards condemning the Israeli racism and complicity with criminal gangs.

They said Israeli security forces refused to crack down on powerful criminal organizations in the occupied territories.

“Zionist forces are preventing people from coming to Um al-Fahm because they are scared by both the protestors and criminal organizations,” head of the Joint List, a political alliance of four Arab-dominated parties in Occupied Palestine, Ayman Odeh, told reporters.

Early in February, thousands of Palestinians demonstrated in several towns in support of 22-year old Palestinian Ahmed Hijazi, who was martyred during a shootout between Israeli forces and masked gunmen.

Hijazi was studying for an exam with his friend and neighbor Dr. Mohamed Armoush when they heard the sound of bullets outside. When they peeked through the window, Hijazi was martyred and Armoush was wounded.

SS