Hundreds of Arab and Jewish women protested Tuesday evening in Lod to mark International Women's Day and took advantage of the event to attack the police and local authorities for demolishing houses in the Arab sector. The demonstration was held under the banner "Strong women against the bulldozers", and received support from Knesset Member Hanin Zoabi (Balad).
The demonstrators held signs denouncing the police and the mayor with slogans like: "Police, get out of Lod you're terrorists", "Lod mayor, you're a liar", "Wrecking houses is terror" and "Arab and Jewish women against home wrecking".
Zoabi criticized the head of the Lod Permanent Committee Meir Nitzan over his attitude towards the city's Arab residents. "I think he is treating his citizens stupidly and with contempt. Everyone knows that the State is the one breaking the laws by not giving Arabs building permits." She claims that the authorities leave Arab citizens with no choice: "It's either live on the streets or build houses without permits."
Among the protestors were women from the Negev village of Al-Arakib, which has been demolished a number of times since last summer. "We live in constant distress, as our house has been destroyed 21 times," said village resident Sabah Abu-Medigam. Following the destruction of her home she's been living with her husband and children at a cemetery. "This situation is intolerable."
According to Zoabi "the cruelest and most racist thing is that they are planning to develop these lands not for the Arab public, the land owners, but for the Jewish citizens."
She warned that the struggle could lead to harsh consequences. "The state is pushing its Arab citizens into a corner without thinking of the results and repercussions," Zoabi said, while stressing that "we will use every tool democracy has to offer and will not give up our rights."
The director of the joint cities project, engineer Buteina Tabit, explained why she chose to hold the protest on International Women's Day, saying that the day wasn't only meant for celebration but also to protest.
"We decided to stand in front of the tanks and bulldozers with which they are trying to remove us from our lands." According to Tabit, the Israeli government is constantly trying to violate Arab women's rights on all issues. "This situation has given Arab women the strength to go out into the streets and defend their rights without giving a damn, while risking their lives."
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