At 10:00am Sunday morning, dozens of right-wing marches will make their way to Rahat, an Israeli Bedouin community in the south after police granted a permit for the controversial march. The event will be lead by opposition MK (Ichud HaLeumi) Dr. Michael Ben-Ari, who will be accompanied by parliamentary aides Itamar Ben-Gavir and Baruch Marzel.

The purpose of the event is to highlight the widespread illegal construction in the Arab sector; construction with Ben-Gavir insists is being ignored by the government. “Migron and Rahat are one” states Ben-Gavir, who insists if so-called illegal outposts are being removed by the government, the same law must be applied to the illegal construction in the Arab sector.

Hundreds of members of the Bedouin community marched in protest on Saturday, warning they do not intend to greet participants in the event on Sunday with roses, but with “old sandals” stated MK Talab al-Sana, who stated residents will be throwing old shoes at them. He and other Arab law-makers warn the event may “spark a violent response in the Arab community”.

Al-Sana went on to state he feels police are “playing into the hands of right-wing extremists” and warned they result of the march may not be a pleasant one.

Readers should realize that Rahat is not a PA (Palestinian Authority) autonomous area but an Israeli municipality whose residents are citizens of the state.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)