MK Ben-Ari.
MK Ben-Ari.Israel news photo: Flash 90

Police cancelled a protest that was to take place Sunday in Nazareth due to the security situation in the south. MK Michael Ben-Ari (Ichud Leumi) decided not to let the setback stop him from showing his disapproval, and visited Nazareth without the backing of supporters – and with his trademark Israeli flag.

Ben-Ari was not entirely alone. Several police cars accompanied the Jewish MK to ensure that he did not come to harm while visiting the Arab city.

Police insisted on removing the freshman MK after just 20 minutes. In that time, a large Arab crowd had already formed to protest Ben-Ari’s presence.

Locals held protests elsewhere in the city as well, and shouted anti-Israel slogans, among them, “With our blood and our spirit we will free Palestine.”

One of those protesting Ben-Ari was MK Hanin Zoabi (Balad). Ben-Ari had originally planned to be in Nazareth Sunday to protest Zoabi for her presence aboard the ship Mavi Marmara, which attempted to violently force its way through Israel’s naval blockade of Hamas in Gaza.

Zoabi hailed the cancellation of Ben-Ari’s protest as a victory over “fascism.” Ben-Ari, for his part, accused the government of caving to terrorism.