Israel police clash with Ethiopian Jewish protesters - BBC News

Jump media player

Media player help

Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.

Media captionThe BBC's Kevin Connolly says following the unrest, a delegation of Ethiopian Jews will now meet the Israeli prime minister

Dozens of police and protesters have been hurt after a protest by Ethiopian Israelis against alleged police brutality turned violent in Tel Aviv.

Thousands of Israeli Jews of Ethiopian origin had taken part in a rally before some demonstrators tried to storm the city's municipality building.

Police fired tear gas and stun grenades as protesters threw bottles and bricks.

Tensions have risen after video emerged last week showing two policemen beating an Ethiopian Israeli soldier.

Two officers have been suspended and the incident is being investigated.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin blamed a "handful of violent trouble-makers" for Sunday's violence but said Ethiopian Jews' grievances had to be addressed.

The protests, he added, exposed "the pain of a community crying out over a sense of discrimination, racism, and of being unanswered. We must look directly at this open wound."

On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet the soldier who appeared in the video, as well as Ethiopian community leaders.

Protesters tried to storm Tel Aviv's municipality building following the anti-racism rally

Many people, including dozens of police officers, were hurt in the clashes

'Not prepared to wait'

On Sunday, protests started peacefully as demonstrators blocked a busy road. Many walked with their hands held together in the air, to signify handcuffs. But the demonstration became more violent as night fell.

Some protesters threw stones, bottles and chairs and tried to enter the municipality building.

Anger has risen after footage of police allegedly beating an Ethiopian Israeli soldier emerged

Israelis of Ethiopian origin have long complained of discrimination and police brutality

At least 46 police and seven protesters were hurt, officials said. Dozens of protesters were arrested, police said.

One demonstrator told Israel's Channel 10 television channel: "Our parents were humiliated for years.

"We are not prepared to wait any longer to be recognised as equal citizens. It may take a few months, but it will happen."

Tel Aviv police chief Yohanan Danino told Channel 10: "The use of violence by a small minority of the many protesters does not serve their struggle.

"Whoever harms police or civilians will be brought to justice.''

Ethiopian Jews living in Israel have long complained of discrimination, and similar protests in 2012 followed reports that some Israeli landlords were refusing to rent out their properties to Ethiopian Jews.

Ethiopian Israeli Jews' income is considerably lower than the general population, and they are much more likely to face limited educational opportunities and to end up in prison, according to The Ethiopian National Project, a non-governmental organisation which assists Ethiopian Jews in Israel.

Tens of thousands of Ethiopian Jews were airlifted to Israel in secret operations in the 1980s and 1990s to escape famine and civil war. There are now around 135,000 Ethiopian Jews living in Israel.

Despite executions, drowning, some Ethiopians still dream of Europe | Daily Mail Online

By AFP

PUBLISHED: 18:16 GMT, 1 May 2015 | UPDATED: 18:16 GMT, 1 May 2015

 
 
 
 
 

On the walls of homes in the poor Cherkos neighbourhood of Ethiopia's capital, the portraits of "martyrs" killed in their attempt to enter Europe offer a grim warning.

The murders of several Ethiopian Christians last month in Libya horrified Ethiopians and sparked global condemnation, including from Pope Francis who expressed his "great distress and sadness".

At least five of the victims out of the group of 28 migrants on the gruesome video were recognised as coming from this poor neighbourhood in the heart of the Ethiopian capital and its tightly packed clusters of simple brick, tin roof buildings.

+3

Flowers float into the Mediterranean sea on April 28, 2015 in Nice, France, in honor of migrants who drowned trying to reach Europe ©Valery Hache (AFP/File)

"We were about to leave, now we will wait a bit, but not too long," said one young man aged around 20, sitting with friends, all shocked by having watched the horrific executions on their mobile telephones.

"In a few months this will all be forgotten. But our situation has not changed."

Sitting on the side of the street and recounting their frustrations, the three young men instead point to the "20 or so" migrants who they say they know have made it to Europe -- to Malta, Sweden, Britain and Germany.

"They've transformed their lives and the lives of their families," one of them said.

Ethiopia's economy is one of the best performers in Africa, and foreign investment is pouring in. But without any qualifications, the young men say they have little hope of a good job -- beyond labouring for around 50 biirs (just under $3) a day.

The way out is well-known: a bus ride to neighbouring Sudan, then the crossing of the Sahara desert to reach the Libyan capital Tripoli, which is 3,700 kilometres (2,300 miles) from Addis Ababa. After that it's a case of finding a boat to Italy.

In all, the journey coast between $2,500 and $5,000, a fortune but one that most think they can pay back as soon as they strike gold in Europe.

The lucky ones reach Europe in a few weeks, with Ethiopians declaring themselves Eritreans in order to seek asylum. Some, however, end up stuck in Libya, short of cash. Others simply disappear.

- 'Question of luck' -

Baheru Lemme, who runs a church-based youth association, is trying to convince young Ethiopians to stay, but he admits that is a huge challenge.

"Too many families encourage their children to leave so they can send back some money, rather then invest instead in their education," he said.

"I tell them about the dangers of the journey. I tell them they can change their lives by staying here and working hard, but they are pessimistic."

Baheru said that even after the executions carried out by Islamic State militants, two more locals have left for Libya in recent days.

"I tried to reason with them, but they said that if they die then they'll be martyrs," he said, adding he had given them a Bible for their journey.

Ethiopia's government is also trying to put off would-be migrants, with measures including tougher laws against human traffickers.

Not far from where Baheru runs his church group, a funeral was being held for Biruk Kassa, one of the victims who appeared on the video. Among the mourners, family friend Ferek admitted he still dreamt of Europe despite the obvious risks.

"If I had the money to pay the smugglers, I'd go right away," he said, complaining that at 24 and even as a student of marketing, he believed he had few prospects. In Britain, however, he believed he could earn the equivalent of a monthly salary in a day.

As for the dangers of the journey, he shrugs his shoulders: "Some make it, others don't. It's a question of luck."

+3

Migrants stand next to Tunisian security forces in the southeastern port of Zarzis on April 25, 2015, after they were rescued by fishermen while trying to sail from Libya to Europe ©Fethi Nasri (AFP/File)

+3

Migrants who were hoping to reach Europe by boat sit at Abu Salim detention centre for illegal migrants in Tripoli on April 21, 2015 ©Mahmud Turkia (AFP/File)

Report: Obama Opposes Egypt's Plan to Launch Large Assault Against ISIS in Libya

487974

AP Photo

by EDWIN MORA27 Apr 2015Washington, DC182

Egypt is getting ready to launch a large air and ground attack against the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) in eastern Libya DebkaFile reports, quoting military and intelligence sources.

The Obama administration is reportedly opposed to the operation.

“Egypt is massing large-scale ground and air forces in the Western Desert along the Libyan border, in preparation for a military campaign to capture eastern Libya — Cyrenaica — from the Islamist State of Syria and Iraq — ISIS — occupation,” reports DebkaFile.

“The substantial naval and marine forces assembling at Egypt’s Mediterranean ports indicate the possible launching of the offensive by dropping Egyptian marines on the Libyan coast around Derna (pop: 100,000), which ISIS has made its provincial capital,” it added. “They may be accompanied by simultaneous landings of paratroops from the air.”

Some officials have warned that ISIS may use Libya to launch attacks against Europe.

The DebkaFile report notes that the Obama administration is against a direct invasion of Libya by Egypt, but would support Cairo taking action through local Libyan militias.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fatteh El-Sisi was not convinced by CIA Director John Brennan who related Obama’s position on April 19.

“President El-Sisi was not surprised to hear from the CIA director that the Obama administration objects to a direct Egyptian invasion of Libya, but would not oppose Cairo acting through local Libyan militias,” said DebkaFile.

“Brennan leaned hard on the Egyptian president to follow Washington’s line, but El-Sisi refused,” it added later.

President El-Sisi did tell the CIA director that he does not plan to keep the Egyptian army in Libya. He is planning to pull his troops out after the jihadists are defeated. Ultimately, El-Sisi said he would hand power back to the elected Libyan government.

ISIS’ presence in eastern Libya and Sinai poses an unacceptable threat to El-Sisi’s country, noted the report.

“He has been warned in a number of intelligence reports that the Islamic State’s terrorists have already penetrated some Egyptian towns and even infiltrated certain army units,” it said.

ISIS is reportedly beefing up its presence in eastern Libya with reinforcements from Syria and Iraq to counter Egypt’s planned assault.

“From Syria, they are traveling by air or sea through the Mediterranean; from Iraq, through the Sinai Peninsula, whence oil and drug rings smuggle them across the Suez Canal and Egypt,” said DebkaFile.

Libya has been engulfed in unrest since Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and executed in 2011 with the support of the Obama administration. Various tribes, militias, and political groups are competing for power in Libya.

The country has been split by two warring factions. One is led by the elected government operating out of Tobruk and the other by militias in Tripoli.

The Obama administration and other Western nations have been reluctant to intervene.

Egypt, without the support of the U.S., launched airstrikes against ISIS targets in Libya after the jihadist group beheaded 21 Egyptian Christians.

National Guard deployed in Baltimore - Alexey Yaroshevsky reports from s...

Burundi riot police disperse protests against president's bid for third ...

Ethiopian mass protest against IS killings in Libya - BBC News

Ethiopians have been shocked by the killings which have been condemned throughout the world

Tens of thousands of Ethiopians have attended a rally in the capital, Addis Ababa, condemning the murders of Ethiopians by Islamic State militants.

More than 20 migrant workers - most thought to be Ethiopian Christians - were killed by the Libyan branch of IS.

It released videos on Sunday of some of the men being beheaded and others shot.

Ethiopia's prime minister warned the protesters about the dangers of illegal immigration and described the killings as "Satanic".

IS and other jihadist groups are active in many towns in Libya, which has been torn by civil conflict since last year - and has been unstable since long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in 2011.

There was a tone of defiance at the rally

Demonstrators held up placards of some of those who were killed

Some of the relatives of the victims also attended the rally in Meskel Square

And religious leaders from the Orthodox Church were in the crowd

"This week's cruel act which was committed against our citizens in Libya not only gives a glimpse into terrorism, but also shows the Satanic acts and objectives of those who committed the act," Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn told the mass rally in Addis Ababa's Meskel Square.

He also urged unity in the fight against what he called "home-grown extremism" in Ethiopia, and said those who chose to an illegal route to migrate risked falling prey to human traffickers.

"It is clear to everyone that our fellow citizens all have the right to live and work in any part of the world. But the illegal migration that leads to unnecessary suffering and death carried out by illegal human traffickers must stop."

However, later the government-condoned protest broke into scuffles with some parts of the crowd throwing stones, chanting anti-government slogans and clashing with police.

There were some scuffles towards the end of the event

Elections will be held in Ethiopia next month

Some complain that the failure to raise living standards fuels the flow of migrants

Police fired rounds of tear gas at some towards the end of the demonstration, the AFP news agency reports.

The rally comes a month before Ethiopia holds parliamentary elections, the first since the death in 2012 of long-time leader Meles Zenawi.

ዛሬ ቤተ መንግስት አከባቢ። | Today around Bete Mengist.