Kahane' fascist Kach movement is still very much alive in Israel (1)

Arabs protesting against the demonstration of the 'Land of Israel Movement' demonstration are teargassed. (Picture Al-Jazeera)

Supporters of the late rabbi Meir Kahane, founder of the Jewish Defense Ligue in the US and of the fascist Kach movement in Israel, which in the 90-ties was forbidden by the Israeli high court, have shown - an not for thye first time - that Kahane's ideas and movement are still very much alive. A day after attending a memorial service at the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Kahane's death, dozens of his supporters traveled under the banner of the 'Land of Israel Movement' from Jerusalem to the northern Arab town of Umm al-Fahm on Wednesday to protest against the Islamic Movement under tight police security. They were faced by hundreds of residents of the town and surrounding communities. Massive police forces fired tear gas and stun grenades at dozens of Arab and left-wing protestors, some of whom began hurling stones. The rightists were returned to their buses following the protest, and police forces stormed the crowd and arrested nine of the stone throwers.
Knesset Member Afu Aghbaria (Hadash) was lightly injured in the leg, apparently by a stun grenade. Knesset member Hanin Zoabi (Balad) sustained light wounds as well and was treated in a local clinic. A soldier disguised as an Arab was also wounded and evacuated to a hospital. Protesters said afterwards that in all 15 people were wounded, most of them by tear gas inhalation.
 
Itamar Ben Gvir, Baruch Marzel (second from right) and member of Knesset Michael Ben Ari (right). The picture was taken  a couple of months ago, after Ben Gvir was arrested for insulting Obama's (then) Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel during the latter's visit to Jerusalem.

Rightist Itamar Ben-Gvir said during the protest that "only in the State of Israel a faction can call for a third intifada, organize a flotilla and hurt IDF soldiers, while we're helpless." His protestors chanted, "Death to terrorists". Knesset Member Michael Ben-Ari (National Union) said the Islamic Movement (of sheikh Raed Salah) was part of the global al-Qaeda terror organization. "We are not afraid," he shouted. His colleague, Baruch Marzel, said that "if we concede Umm al-Fahm we’ll concede Tel Aviv too," while the protestors continued to chant, "Death to the Arabs" and "Umm al-Fahm is Jewish."
Umm al-Fahm mayor Sheikh Khaled Hamdan claimed that "this mess taking place here this morning is insane. It's not normal that 1,500 policemen have to be brought here because of one racist lunatic. We are not the one looking for a provocation. This visit is creating a provocation in the entire region.