Thousands participate in Human Rights Day march in Tel Aviv
International Human Rights Day was commemorated in Israel for the first time.
By Noah Kosharek Tags: Israel newsInternational Human Rights Day was marked in Israel for the first time on Friday when thousands of people participated in a human rights march that began in Rabin square in Tel Aviv and concluded with a rally in front of the Tel Aviv Museum.
The march featured human rights organizations, Arab rights' advocates, gay and lesbian activists, migrant workers, environmentalists and feminists, united under the slogan "No Way."
The event, which also featured performances by Israeli musicians including Hadag Nachash, Alma Zohar and others, was meant to protest the continuing erosion of democracy in Israel and the lack of equal rights for many of the country's citizens.
At the conclusion of the march, the president of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, author Sami Michael, awarded the human rights medal to the founders of the human rights organization "Yesh Din," and to the family of Nir Katz, who was murdered in the gay center shooting in Tel Aviv this past August.
Speaking at the rally, Michael stressed the importance of Human Rights Day. "We are all survivors of a damned century. A century of wars and bloodshed... We are here in order to emphasize that we all belong to a magnificent race - the human race. We are here to fight for human rights and we will continue to be here tomorrow and the day after that. We must always be here in order to secure a civil and fair society," Michael said.
Balad Minister Hanin Zuabi criticized current Israeli government policies at the rally. "This march, though important, does not mirror the widespread political culture in Israel. On the contrary, it sharply contradicts mainstream politics and daily racist policy," Zuabi said.
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Violation of human rights is not the fault of groups, right or left, but of individuals that comprise them. Individuals harbor intentions to harm others. We are suffering from a moral crisis of epidemic proportions. The cure lies in each one of us recognizing all others as human beings, like ourselves, who want happiness, and purging the intention to harm others from our hearts and minds. If we all prayed with prayer beads/rosaries/tefilin/our hearts, instead of clutching money and possessions so tightly, devoutly cultivating our intention to do no harm to any person, then Israel/Palestine, and everyplace, really, would become a paradise on earth. The intention to harm is the main cause of violence in the world and of human rights violation, by governments, interest groups and individuals. Violence is the one completely man-made epidemic that is 100% curable, with the right intention. charterforcompassion.org www.ted.com/talks/tags/id/578 www.snowlionpub.com/pages/N69_16.html
Israel badly and immediately needs a secular Constitution, otherwise it risks the possibility that in the near future there will be no participants in Human Rights Day marches in this country, because the fundamentalist orthodox will prohibit any march... Beware the fact that the political landscape in Israel is drifting more and more to the right-religious wing and that Human Rights (which of course consist also of Palestinian Human Rights) will soon be rather inexistent in Israel. The consequences are non-predictable yet.
It's kind of amusing to see how closed minds zionists have. You say they should recognize justice and human rights are for everyone. That's precisely what they are marching to get. Zionists believe (and since they have the power, enforce) that justice and human rights are only for Jews. I suspect you would be most upset indeed if another country imposed the same restrictions and penalties on Jews that Israel uses on Palestinians.
What was stopping you or anyone else from marching to support Human Rights around the world ? Do you not believe in HR for everyone or just the select few ??
Bureaucratic spat blocks Galilee at-risk youth from getting psychiatric treatment - www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1129191.html Please note Haaretz censorship as just one example of erosion of democracy in Israel. The Hebrew article has a heavily censored talkback section; several people complained of messages not being posted. At least one message had content changed within the text ("Get rid of Jeraisy" (Griner's assistant) changed to "Get rid of Griner"). The article is skewed in favor of the hospital (Seiff). The mother of the boy (13.5 when hospitalized) won the appeal. Judge Yitzhak Amit who released the boy was promoted to the High Court. The boy was never psychotic catatonic. Medical and welfare officer records were falsified to subject the boy to severe dystonia (Pisa Syndrome), starvation, sexual abuse/rape & more. Lawyers, police, Youth Court judge, MKs colluded. Compare www.scribd.com/doc/3054729/ORGANIZED-CRIME-OPERATING-IN-THE-CHILD-PROTECTION-SYSTEM
then I'll be excited for the Palestinians who are free to protest in Tel Aviv. Would the people at this protest support such an event in Ramallah? When PIGS FLY! They believe only they have the rights to LIFE, never mind civil liberties. Until they recognize that justice and rights are for everyone, they'll go on believing they're just free to kill us for fun, but we're stupid enough to defend their rights.
The Palestinians will achieve a great deal more by fighting for what they want without resorting to violence. By resorting to violence, they have forced Israel to increase security measures. Maybe one day, ALL Israelis will have the right to go into public gatherings without being searched or frisked.
Lincoln: "I am glad so many Israelis are for Human Rights Even if their nation isn`t." Dumb comment. Israeli Arabs have more rights than any Arabs in Arab countries.
Palestinians also support Human Rights...just not for Jews.
Hello, Kettle? This is the pot calling...
Even if their nation isn't. We have the same situation here in the USA.
It's inspiring to see the left wake up again and mobilize with force, if only for one march.