Chairman Ayman Odeh of the Joint Arab List issued a statement on Sunday in followup to a demonstration by Arabs in northern Israel against the demolition of illegal Arab buildings. The statement read, "This huge demonstration stresses adherence of all of us to our right to live in dignity on our land. We came here to make heard out outcry against racism, against the killing of us in cold blood. Out of loyalty to martyr Yacoub Abu Alkian, we are protesting against the establishment which is hostile to our people, against [Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu and [Public Safety Minister Gilad] Erdan and the policies they represent."
Referring to the destruction of illegal homes in the Israeli Arab city of Qalansuwa and the incident in Umm Al-Hiran, Alkian fatally rammed a police officer and was shot to death, the statement continued, "It is unthinkable for us to ignore what happened Qalansuwa and Umm-Hiran. We will oppose any plans that refer to us as enemies, for our struggle is the struggle of those with rights, a national, democratic and legal struggle. This huge demonstration is merely a springboard for further measures and continued escalation of the struggle until the realization of our rights."