Israelis Rally for Palestinian State, End of Occupation

May 27, 2017

(AFP) - Thousands of Israelis rallied Saturday in Tel Aviv in support of a Palestinian state ahead of the 50th anniversary of Israel's occupation of Palestinian land.

Banners bearing the slogan "Two states, One Hope" featured in the demonstration organised by supporters of a Palestinian state, including the Israeli NGO Peace Now.

NGO head Avi Buskila said the rally was a protest against "the lack of hope being offered by a government perpetuating occupation, violence and racism".

"The time has come to prove to the Israelis, the Palestinians and the entire world that an important segment of the Israeli population is opposed to occupation and wants a two-state solution," he added.

A message of support from Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas was read out at the rally.

"It is time to live together in harmony, security and stability," Abbas was quoted as saying.

"Our duty towards future generations is to conclude a peace of the brave."

Israeli opposition Labour party leader Isaac Herzog attended the rally and threw his support behind a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.


In 1967, Israel seized the West Bank and east Jerusalem from Jordan during the Six-Day War with neighbouring states. It later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community.

Israel proclaims Jerusalem as its united capital, while the Palestinians claim the city's eastern part as the capital of their future state.

More than 400,000 Israelis live in settlements on the West Bank which are considered illegal under international law and a major obstacle to Middle East peace.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government is widely seen as the most right-wing administration in Israeli history and is pressing settlement expansion despite international concern.

Some government members have openly advocated annexing the West Bank.

Comments at Yahoo:

        Foster 9 hours ago

        REALLY want peace?? Try THIS for a change... STOP colonizing Arab land illegally, STOP using our American tax dollars to do it, STOP directing your Neocon fifth column of Sabbath Goys in the American Congress to continually favor handing over BILLIONS in American taxes to support your expansionist welfare state while opposing that American taxes be used to help Americans on the pretense of "fiscal conservatism", STOP dropping WHITE PHOSPHOROUS on civilians one minute while turning around to whine about how YOU were "gassed" at Auchwitz the next minute, and STOP screaming "anti-semite" at EVERYONE and ANYONE who criticizes your expansionist settler state's policies!!!!! You are NOT allowed to move your population onto conquered land and throw the people living on it off. This is what the Germans were hung for at Nuremberg. Hermann Goering must be laughing from beyond the grave at the idea that Zionists Jews are today doing the same thing that he and the other SS officers were put on trial for: colonizing territory by force. If "lebensraum" was wrong when THEY did it, it's wrong when YOU do it. And if it is "terrorism" to resist colonization and eradication then the resistance fighters in the Warsaw Ghetto were ALSO "terrorists"!!

        Douglas 10 hours ago

        Israel will never allow it. It's strategy has been to stall the so-called "peace talks" forever and keep grabbing land in the form of "settlements" which we all know it will never relinquish.

        Luis 10 hours ago

        Netanyahu should learn. They had been victims. Now they are victimizing the Palestinians by taking their lands by constructing settlements in them. Is that right?