Leftists show solidarity with Palestinian prisoners
Some 100 left-wing activists protest outside Tel Aviv University against administrative detentions, waive signs reading 'martial law is not law'. Right wing activists say 'these are terrorists with blood on their hands'
The protesters waived signs reading, "Sleep deprivation = torture," "Release political prisoners" and "Martial law is not law."
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Some 50 right-wing activists protested there as well. Holding Israeli flags they chanted, "Go to Gaza" and held signs reading, "Supporting administrative detainees = supporting terror, "The word 'terrorist' can be white-washed, their hands can't be, either."
Noa Levy, a leftist activist who participated in the protest said "we came to protest in support of the Palestinian prisoners. Every third man is sitting in prison. My country is conquering one million people. Those on trial, are court martialed and being judged by soldiers – those same soldiers entering their villages by tank."
Levy said that "when your enemy is your judge, you cannot call it a fair trial. We see that evidence is missing and that it is impossible to defend yourself in court. Every person from the Palestinian Authority who is politically active is arrested and imprisoned."
Rajaa Natur, who arrived at the scene to protest, said that "this is an illegal act that shows the true face of the occupation. The prisoners have been sitting in jail for years upon years without knowing if this thing is going to end, that is oppression of sorts."
Right-wing retort (Photo: Moti Kimhi)
Alon Shwertzer, activist coordinator at "Im Tirzu" said conversely that "in the last week we have been witness to extreme left protests against administrative detention and what they call 'political prisoners'.
"We are here to say that this is hypocrisy, this is whitewashing words, there is no such thing as a 'political prisoner,' these are terrorists who have blood on their hands."
Shwertzer added that "administrative detention is a legal and proper tool that exists in modern, democratic countries and allows for the imprisonment of people engaging in terror, and allows us, citizens, to get on buses without fear they will explode."
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