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RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) – Palestinians from the occupied West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem waged a general strike Monday to support an Arab-Israeli demonstration against Israel's new law on nation states.
A lock is seen on the door of a store during a general strike in support of an Arab-Israeli demonstration against the Israeli law on the state of the nation, in the Old City of Jerusalem, October 1, 2018 REUTERS / Ammar Awad
Adopted by the Israeli parliament in July, the nation-state law states that only Jews enjoy the right to self-determination in Israel and lowers the status of Arabic as the official language of the state.
The legislation has aroused strong criticism at home and abroad. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the law, saying it was necessary to fend off Palestinian challenges to Jewish self-determination.
On Monday, in the Palestinian territories, schools, universities, government offices and shops were closed in solidarity with the Israeli Arab minority that closed its private sector.
"This is the minimum we can do for our people against the racist law of nation states," said Abu Jabir al-Iraqi, a resident of the Israeli-Arab city Taybeh.
Many Arab citizens of Israel also identify themselves as Palestinians. They represent one fifth of the nine million Israel. Israeli law grants them equal rights, but many claim to be discriminated against and treated as second-class citizens.
Some Palestinians, however, asked if the strike was effective.
"I do not know if the strike we're carrying out in the West Bank is affecting Jews or not, or if it's just closing all services for nothing," said Diaa Rayan, 34, while driving his car through the Palestinian City of Ramallah.
"This strike will not change anything," said Ismail al-Saidi, a Gaza butcher. "To make a change, we need weapons to fight the enemy."
In his address to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, Netanyahu said the law's convictions were "extravagant attacks".
"When Israel is called racist for making Hebrew its official language and the star of David its national flag, when Israel is called the apartheid state for its own sake. to be declared a nation-state of the Jewish people, that is downright ridiculous, "he said.
Report by Saed Hawri and Ismail Khader; Written by Maayan Lubell; Edited by Matthew Mpoke Bigg
