Following inciting rhetoric against President Rivlin, hundreds of left-wing activists take to the streets to fight what they said is a delegitimization of human rights activists.
Hundreds of left-wing activists protested Saturday night in Tel Aviv against of incitement that they claim is sweeping across Israel via right-wing circles.
They referred during the protest to a verbal attack on President Reuven Rivlin, and what they consider a delegitimization campaign against human rights activists and representatives of the organization “Breaking the Silence”. Several right-wing activists staged their own protest nearby.
The left-wing attracted hundreds of Jewish and Arab demonstrators from various parties and organizations. The protesters argued that the government incites instead of offering solutions regarding attempts at silencing and intimidation by extreme right-wing elements in the government and outside it. Protesters held signs that read “the right will not silence me” and “incitement starts from the government.”
One of the demonstration’s organizers said that “the government failed. The only promise they are able to keep is that we will forever live by the sword and they hide their failure by inciting against those who expose their failures.”
Yariv Oppenheimer, secretary general of Peace Now, said: “We came out tonight to say that we will not let the right wing continue to incite and cheapen the blood of the president and left-wing activists.”
Mia Katz, a Combatants for Peace activist said that “despite the atmosphere in which every attempt to express a variety of opinions among the Israeli public is restricted, we will continue to struggle for our duty to portray the harsh reality in the West Bank. We will continue the struggle to end the occupation. We, Israelis and Palestinians, offer another way to live here with dignity and security. For everyone.”
On the other side of the barricade, representatives of the Samaria Residents Committee demonstrated. They said they were protesting the left’s attempts at silencing the right. The committee’s chairman said that “we agree with the right of free speech and therefore we also joined the march. When extreme left organizations do the right thing, we are there shoulder to shoulder to help them.”
As reported by Ynetnews