Photo credit: Standing Together

Protesters from the NIF-supported Mistaclim Lakibush Ba’Einayim (Looking the Occupation in the Eye) decided to take to the streets of Tel Aviv last Saturday night even through the main demonstration against the government’s planned judicial overhaul was canceled because of concerns for protestors safety, given the barrages of rockets entering Israel from Gaza as the Israeli military bombarded the strip during Operation Shield and Arrow.

Protest leaders said there were three main motives for their demonstration. First, to protest the killing of innocent children and women in Gaza, as part of another round of destruction and death initiated this time by the Israeli government. Second, the government initiated Operation Shield and Arrow to divert attention from the demonstrations against the judicial overhaul and even cause their cancellation. Third, to protest the decision to cancel the traditional mass protest in Tel Aviv.

Last Saturday night’s protest thus highlighted the steady and increasing strength of the anti-occupation bloc at the pro-democracy protests. There were other such protests in Jerusalem and Haifa against the crimes being committed against the Palestinian people in Gaza by F-16s. The demonstrators had a united message: “enough killing, enough mourning, the occupation must end.”