[E-rundbrief] Info 924 - Uri Avnery attacked by rightists in Tel-Aviv

[Matthias Reichl]

E-Rundbrief - Info 924 - Uri Avnery/ Gush Shalom (Israel): “The
Government Is Drowning Us All”. Uri Avnery attacked by rightist thugs
(after manifestation in Tel-Aviv/ Israel).

Bad Ischl, 6.6.2010

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“The Government Is Drowning Us All”

Uri Avnery attacked by rightist thugs

(Web report by Uri Avnery/ Gush Shalom)

6.6.2010

A disaster was averted yesterday (June 5)  at Tel-Aviv’s Museum Square,
when rightists threw a smoke grenade into the middle of the protest
rally, obviously hoping for a panic to break out and cause the
protesters to trample on each other. But the demonstrators remained
calm, nobody started to run and just a small space in the middle of the
crowd remained empty. The speaker did not stop talking even when the
cloud of smoke reached the stage. The audience included many children.

Half an hour later, a dozen rightist thugs attacked Gush Shalom’s 86
year old Uri Avnery, when he was on his way from the rally in the
company of his wife, Rachel, Adam Keller and his wife Beate Siversmidt.
Avnery had just entered a taxi, when a dozen rightist thugs attacked him
and tried to drag him out of the car. At the critical moment, the police
arrived and made it possible for the car to leave. Gush spokesman Adam
Keller said: “These cowards did not dare to attack us when we were many,
but they were heroes when they caught Avnery alone.”

The incident took place when the more than 10 thousand demonstrators
were dispersing, after marching through the streets of Tel Aviv in
protest against the attack on the Gaza-bound aid flotilla.

Not only was this one of the largest peace demonstrations for a long
time, but also the first time that all parts of the Israeli peace camp -
from Gush Shalom and Hadash to Peace Now and Meretz – did unite for
common action

The main slogan was “The Government Is Drowning All of Us” and “We must
Row towards Peace!” - alluding to the attack on the flotilla. The
protesters called in unison “Jews and Arabs Refuse to be Enemies!”

The demonstrators assembled at Rabin Square and marched to Museum
Square, where the protest rally was held. Originally, this was planned
as a demonstration against the occupation on its 43th anniversary, and
for peace based on “Two States for Two Peoples” and “Jerusalem – Capital
of the Two States”, but recent events turned it mainly into a protest
against the attack on the flotilla.

One of the new sights was the great number of national flags, which were
flown alongside the red flags of Hadash, the green flags of Meretz and
the two-flag emblems of Gush Shalom. Many peace activists have decided
that the national flag should no longer be left to the rightists.

“The violence of the rightists is a direct result of the brainwashing,
which has been going on throughout the last week,” Avnery commented. “A
huge propaganda machine has incited the public in order to cover up the
terrible mistakes made by our political and military leadership,
mistakes which are becoming worse from day to day.”

Report von Uri Avnery/ Gush Shalom:
http://www.avnery-news.co.il/english/index.html , http://gush-shalom.org

(Zur israelischen Gehirnwäsche-Kampagne siehe "E-Rundbrief Info 917,
http://webmail.horus.at/pipermail/e-rundbrief//2010/000978.html )


-- 

Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
Begegnungszentrum fuer aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence
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fon: +43 6132 24590, Informationen/ informations,
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