Haaretz: Pullout foes bring traffic to standstill across Israel

[Jack Rabbit]

From Haaretz (Tel Aviv)
Dated Wednesday June 29

Pullout foes bring traffic to standstill across Israel
By Nadav Shragai and Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondents, and Agencies

Dozens of right-wing activists opposed to the disengagement plan were arrested Wednesday afternoon for blocking key junctions across Israel to traffic, as part of a nationwide protest against the planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

Israel Police deployed thousands of officers around the country, anticipating massive jams as the activists made good on their pledge to bring the evening rush-hour traffic to a standstill.

In a bid to prevent activists from blocking the entrance to Jerusalem, police had barred pedestrians from the area Wednesday afternoon. Despite the massive deployments, demonstrators managed to halt the traffic, and police attempted to disperse them using water cannons.

Several dozen protesters, all of them children and teenagers, dashed into the road and stopped traffic in both directions. Police dragged about 10 protesters into a van. The protesters resisted and several escaped.

Read more.

[IA_Seth]

1. Sharon "Must Reign in these Terrorists"

So it looks like militants are hard to control on either side of the "fence" eh?

Now, I understand and appreciate the difference in tactics here - so far these have been non-violent acts - but the premise, a people acting without consent of their government, is basically the same.

[Violet_Crumble]

2. This wasn't a non-violent act...

"At least five police officers were wounded and 130 right-wing activists arrested during the protests, which began at around 5 P.M.

Four of the policemen were lightly injured in Safed, where hundreds of protesters blocking the Egged intersection attacked the officers, kicking and biting them. One of the demonstrators was arrested with a knife in his hand.

In Jerusalem, protesters threw stones at several police officers and punctured the tires of squad cars. An officer was lightly wounded in the Tel Aviv area when a demonstrator threw a stone at his head."

And in Gaza, the extremists are responsible for violence towards Palestinians:

"Dozens of Jewish youths exchanged blows with soldiers, and troops dragged several youths through the sand into a waiting army vehicle. Police arrested at least eight people, officials said.

Following the incident, settlers moved outside and headed toward the nearby Palestinian area of al-Mawasi.

"They were throwing stones, destroying our houses," said Ahmed Laham, a Palestinian resident.

TV footage showed a group of settlers beating a Palestinian, leaving the man lying motionless on the ground. Minutes later, the man was seen getting to his feet.

Palestinians responded by throwing rocks at the settlers, and soldiers were firing into the air to separate the sides, the army said."

http://theage.com.au/articles/2005/06/30/1119724719942.html

Violet...

[IA_Seth]

3. Thank you...

Ok, so why not the moral outrage we typically see here when Palestinians riot?

I won't hold my breath.

[Violet_Crumble]

4. Not holding yr breath is a wise move...

You'll see nothing but a "chilling silence"* or diversion tactics along the line of 'Palestinian militants riot....'

Just a general comment (not aimed at you at all or to anyone in particular) after reading the locked thread on the highway being closed by these idiots. It's only my opinion, but people should think carefully before even coming close to defending what these people did and criticising the police for their actions. They spread oil and nails and who knows what else all over a major highway. Motorists could have been killed. They had no consideration for the safety of motorists, their own children, or themselves. I don't give a toss about their safety, but when it comes to their children and motorists I sure do, which is why when I read that some pissed off motorists had gotten involved and started attacking them, I couldn't feel a shred of pity for them. And their 'cause' is not a noble one. I'm not sure if it's the same group or another bunch of extremists, but there have been threats to disrupt Israel's electricity and water supply. While what happened with the highway was disruptive and dangerous, if it escalates to attacks on Israel's infrastructure, it will definately become terrorism aimed at Israel, though I won't be holding my breath waiting for those who express outrage at Palestinian terrorism aimed at Israel to get the outrage machine cranked up past half-hearted arguments that attacks by Israelis on infrastructure isn't actually terrorism...

Violet...






*totally plagiarised from another thread :)