Meretz party speaks out on the violence in Acre

Violence erupted on Wednesday night, erev Yom Kippur, between Jewish and Arab residents of Israel's mixed northern city of Acre (Akko). (For the latest news, click here.) Meretz chair Haim Oron, and MKs Yossi Beilin and Zehava Galon have spoken out on the situation:

Yossi BeilinYossi Beilin: Nothing being done to address discrimination against Arab citizens

In reaction to the events in Acre, Meretz MK Yossi Beilin stated that eight years have gone by since the October 2000 riots, and nothing has been done to implement the recommendations of the Orr Commission regarding the unequal status of Israel's Arab citizens. "We are sitting on a powder keg, but somehow we're surprised each time the tension explodes," he commented, calling for a concerted effort to address this issue.

 

Haim Oron and Zehava Galon: We mustn't surrender to extremists

Meretz chair, MK Haim Oron, and Meretz MK Zehava Galon have called on the Mayor of Acre, Shimon Lancri, not to cancel the annual Acre Theater Festival during Sukkot. OroBannern said that such a step would be, "an act of surrender to Arab and Jewish extremists". Galon stated that, "the supreme test of the police is to uphold democratic rule in the country and not permit mob rule". The two MKs stressed that extremists on both sides must not be allowed to dictate events.