In an unusual initiative, more than 100 Israeli Arabs arrived this morning at the Erez crossing and called for the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit and Palestinian prisoners.
Malik Faraj of the Arab village Kafr Qasim founded the “Ner LeShalom Ve’Aahva”foundation that initiated the event. Faraj said that the foundation was established following the October 2000 riots and acts to promote co-existence between Arabs and Jews, and also helps weak sectors of society by giving student scholarships among other things.
According to Faraj, the foundation decided to initiate the event after realizing that the negotiations to release Shalit have come to a standstill. “Politicians are simply doing nothing to promote the matter and have completely neglected the issue of releasing Gilad Shalit and the Palestinian prisoners. That’s why we decided to go out and protest.”
The group’s visit to Erez crossing was co-initiated with another group from the Gaza Strip, whose members were waiting on the other side of the road. Throughout the demonstrations, the two groups held phone conversations and encouraged one another.
“Our goal is to pressure decision makers and members of Knesset who regretfully are more preoccupied with whether or not to travel first class, and (Foreign Minister Avigdor)Lieberman who is trying to inflame our relationship with Turkey or Syria but does nothing for Gilad Shalit,” said Faraj.
“We received many positive feedbacks on our initiative and hope it will help promote the matter,” he added.
{Ynet/Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel}
WOW.
I guess all the frum posters who vilify Arabs and paint them all with the same brush won’t read this one.
If it don’t fit in with your hashkafa, it doesn’t exist, huh?
What do you mean – they want “kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit and Palestinian prisoners.” Do they really care about Shalit or they want the Palestinian prisoners released. Would you not want one Israeli released if you can get hundreds of Palestinians released – probably some family members