Only Mideast Democracy? In Midst of War, Israel Clamps Down on Dissent

http://www.juancole.com/2014/08/mideast-democracy-dissent.html

Only Mideast Democracy? In Midst of War, Israel Clamps Down on Dissent
By contributors | Aug. 14, 2014
By Sarah Lazare

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Targeted for Being Palestinian in Israel

Mass protests throughout the West Bank against Israel’s attacks on Gaza have been met with severe Israeli repression, with at least three Palestinians killed by Israeli fire. The Alternative Information Center recently reported that over the past month, “more than 450 Palestinians from East Jerusalem have been detained in protests, and over 150 indictments have been filed.” The killings and arrests are in keeping with a well-documented history of Israel’s deadly attacks on Palestinian protests.

Palestinian citizens of Israel, who comprise 20 percent of Israel’s population, already face second-class status in their own society, including legal discrimination, home demolitions, detentions without due process, and more.

Recent weeks have seen an uptick in repressive measures targeting this population. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman recently called for an economic boycott of businesses owned by Palestinian citizens of Israel who participated in a late-July general strike to show their solidarity with Gaza during the bombings. Numerous initiatives to monitor the online activities of Palestinians have sprung up on Facebook, under names like “Concentrating those who wish to destroy Israel.” According to the Christian Science Monitor, these networks then inform employers and school officials of alleged activity.

And there are numerous reports of increased incidents of harassment and attacks of Palestinians in Israel for just walking down the street.