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'The land speaks Arabic' / A public near its breaking point By Yoav Stern Processions and rallies in Jaffa and Kalansua, a central rally in Arabeh in the Galilee and a host of alternative events and ceremonies in theater halls and student dorms marked the 32nd annual Land Day on Friday. The multitude of events, together with the fact that each activity draws significant crowds, attest to the fact that the Arab-Israeli public has reached a breaking point, as well as to the process of self-consolidation the sector is currently undergoing. Advertisement "The land speaks Arabic," a sign read at the Jaffa rally yesterday. It does not take too much imagination to understand the meaning of this statement. The Arab minority in Israel is clinging to their homes, to the physical space. This is primarily because this minority feels constantly threatened. And that is always the case for minorities, particularly for small minorities and primarily for small native minorities. In Israel, they fear being transferred. They feel anger at the destruction of illegally built homes. This is true every year, all year round, but this year it appears things have reached a climax. Land Day, which is marked every March 30, long ago became more than an Israeli phenomenon. It began as a form of fierce protest over the expropriation of Arab-owned lands across Israel. The first Land Day protests were held on March 30, 1976, to protest government expropriations of Galilee land for "security and settlement purposes." Those protests deteriorated into violent clashes with security forces, leaving six Arabs dead. It is now marked by the whole Palestinian nation, which has adopted its underlying principle. Land Day is commemorated in the Palestinian Authority, in refugee camps across the Arab world and in solidarity gatherings all over the region. One was in Yemen, where MK Ahmed Tibi was the keynote speaker. This Land Day is a continuation of the events that began in January, when the state announced that it would not prosecute police officers who killed 13 Palestinians during violent riots in October 2000. And its another sign that conflict could easily reach the streets of Arab Israelis. Bookmark to del.icio.us   My land, my country Israeli Arabs mark 32nd Land Day in demonstrations across the country. One voice on Israel It's hard to find differences in U.S. candidates' promises on peace process.

Today Online 'PM passed 20 messages to Assad, but he disappointed us' Responses: 76 Bush: Peace deal by 2009 likely if road map fulfilled Responses: 158 Dutch Jewish group: Anti-Islam film is 'counterproductive' Responses: 171 Editorial: Israel must help Bush, Rice's belated peace effort succeed Responses: 42 More Headlines 00:00 Bush 'optimistic' on 2009 Mideast peace deal 22:17 Israeli Arab leader on Land Day: We'll fight Israel's 'rising fascism' 00:01 Study: 60% of Israel's poor are ultra-Orthodox and Arabs 21:55 Vatican: Islam surpasses Roman Catholicism as world's largest religion 23:56 Barak to bereaved parents: Labor to quit gov't sooner than anticipated 22:33 Genealogy Web site attempts to map out entire Jewish people 01:29 Police: Bnei Brak has by far the highest rate of sexual offenses 20:16 Netanyahu: No substitute for Israeli control in West Bank 22:54 On Israel, Clinton, Obama and McCain all aim to be like Bush 21:42 Gaza protesters demand that Egypt release Hamas militants 21:20 CIA chief: Al-Qaida recruiting 'Western'-looking fighters 00:39 Motor racing body mum as president accused in Nazi role-playing sex scandal 23:17 Dutch Jewish group: Anti-Islam film is 'counterproductive' Previous Editions Select Day 30 mar 28 mar 27 mar 26 mar 25 mar 24 mar 23 mar 21 mar 20 mar 19 mar 18 mar 17 mar

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