Police postpone rightist march planned for Umm al-Fahm

The mayor of Umm al-Fahm said yesterday that even if rightist demonstrators march through his city at a later date as planned, residents will turn out in force to prevent it. The march, scheduled for today, was postponed yesterday until further notice amid police fears it could result in life-threatening violence.

At a press conference yesterday, newly elected mayor Sheikh Khaled Hamadan said that "even in the future, we'll prevent them from entering Umm al-Fahm in that way." Another municipal official said, "We won't let them march even one meter within the city's territory, and certainly not 800 meters," referring to the planned length of the procession.

"It doesn't matter what the reasons are for the cancellation, what matters is that this is the right decision," added Hamadan, who represents the Islamic Movement. "Police should have canceled the march a long time ago. We hope this isn't just a postponement, but a full cancellation."

Hamadan, who represents the Islamic Movement, and representatives of other influential political bodies in the city, urged Jewish residents of nearby communities to continue visiting the city despite the ongoing dispute.

Likewise, the head of the city's youth movement, Raja Aghbariyya, said, "We won't allow any fascists to enter the city, nor anyone else who wants to evict us from our homes. We welcome anyone who comes to visit the city, but not according to the relationship of slave and master."

Municipal officials contacted Public Security Minister Avi Dichter and senior police figures yesterday, demanding to meet with both Arab and Jewish local leaders who are calling for the march's cancellation.

Ilan Sadeh, the head of Menashe Regional Council, said the right-wing activists do not represent either Jews or Judaism.

"This is incitement, and the desire to sow chaos in the area. We are doing everything to develop the area for all its residents, and to lead cooperative lives for Jews and Arabs. We will work to cancel such events in the future as well," he said.

Yoel Marshak, head of the United Kibbutz Movement's Special Assignments Division, blasted the police yesterday for postponing the rally. Marshak had organized a human chain of volunteers who would block the rightists' entry to the city with their bodies.

"We are disappointed with the police decision," he said. "I met Friday with a police representative and with the mayor of Umm al-Fahm, and we coordinated preparations and the deployment of forces, and I arranged for the deployment of thousands of citizens - residents of kibbutzim, moshavim and cities, who wanted to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Arab citizens to prevent these hotheads from creating a provocation."

MK Ophir Pines-Paz, chair of the Knesset Interior and Environment Committee, praised the decision to postpone the rally, saying police "prevented a dangerous and unnecessary provocation on the eve of elections, which could have led to difficult violence and the endangering the lives of police officers and civilians."

Northern District Police received reports recently about criminals in the city planning to take advantage of the march to harm demonstrators and police.

Northern District commander Shimon Koren told the Nazareth-based A-Shams radio station that the decision to postpone the rally was made only yesterday morning, in light of the ongoing police reports.