Israeli-Arabs rioted in several locations in response to the flotilla events on Monday night. Two policemen were lightly injured in clashes in Umm el-Fahm, in the Triangle between Hadera and Afula and several miles east of the north-central Mediterranean Coast. The two were hit with rocks hurled by rioting Arabs, who also burnt tires at the city entrance at a main intersection on the important east-west artery Route 65, connecting the coast with the Jordan Valley.
Four rioters were arrested, with rocks in their hands.
In Nazareth, an Israeli-Arab city aside Nazareth Illit in the Jezreel Valley, dozens of protestors started fires and threw rocks at the local police station. Six were arrested. Some of the rioters wore stockings over their heads.
In the western Galilee village of Furdis, a protest march was held against the IDF and included the throwing of firecrackers onto the Tel Avivi-Haifa highway; no one was hurt.
Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin called on Arab citizens not to be drawn into provocations: “There are disputes between us, but we must remember even now that we are destined to live together. We must not allow terrorism to achieve its goal of perpetuating the conflict.”
Arab MKs, on the other hand, have been working to fan the flames. MK Mohammed Barakeh called the Israeli actions against the militants aboard the Gaza-bound flotilla “murder,” while MK Taleb el-Sana called the IDF soldiers "Nazis." MK Hanin Zouabi, who was on one of the ships, denied the filmed footage and said that the soldiers were not first attacked by the activists.
Some 1,500 Israelis demonstrated outside the Turkish Embassy in Tel Aviv against the flotilla, and pro-IDF rallies were held at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Haifa University. At Hebrew U, Arab students taunted the protestors, while in Haifa U, Arab students held their own anti-Israel demonstration.
Kassam Rockets
Hamas terrorists fired two Kassam rockets towards Ashkelon early Tuesday afternoon; they landed in open territory. Yesterday a rocket was fired as well, causing damage to a shelter near greenhouses. No one was wounded.
Low-Quality Aid
It was reported Tuesday that the “humanitarian” equipment aboard the ships included expired medicines, individual packages of assorted medicines, and old, bad-quality equipment.