Israel Matzav

Spontaneous outrage at leftist demonstration in Haifa

Arutz Sheva is reporting that there was a near-riot last night in rocket-strewn Haifa, after residents emerged from their underground shelters in a rage at a joint leftist-Arab demonstration in downtown Haifa against the war in Lebanon. Haifa residents heard about the demonstration on their radios and televisions.

Amit, one of the anti-war protestors, told Israel National Radio Correspondent Aaron Fox that he was participating in the protest in order to demand that Israel comply with Hizbullah and Hamas demands. “Our position is to stop the bombing and start negotiations,” he said. “Israel should release the [Arab terrorist] prisoners and the Lebanese and hopefully the Israeli soldiers will be released. Then there can be negotiations about the decision of the UN about where the border should be and stop the Israeli provocation in the area.”

Asked what the Israeli provocations entailed following the complete Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000, Amit said: “I know as an Israeli that Israel is doing provocations. Israel is a very strong force in the region and using that strength to disturb the people around us. There will be peace if Israel understands that the way to do peace is not with weapons but with talking. Olmert should remove all the soldiers and start negotiating.”

A man standing at the counter-protest said he ran from his home to the site of the protest the second he heard about it on the news. “The Jews standing there are far worse than the Arabs,” he said. “They scream peace and have no idea what peace is. These folks want to exterminate us. Olmert was about to give them everything they ever wanted. I wanted to tell people how I feel about these people that are betraying our country.”

“How do you feel about them,” Fox asked.

“I hate to say it,” said the man, “but I hate them."

Haifa may be Israel's moonbat capital, with its mixed Jewish - Arab university, two extremely leftist universities (University of Haifa and the Technion) and a feeling until recently that the ongoing battle with the 'Palestinians' was NotInMyBackYard, with Haifa being far away from any of Israel's borders.

Read the whole thing.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:30 PM