Hadash-Ta’al chairman Ayman Odeh says that tonight’s massive anti-crime protest in Tel Aviv must serve as a “turning point” to unite Jewish and Arab Israelis.
“This should be a turning point, another important building block for the common struggles of Jewish and Arab society,” he tells The Times of Israel while picking up trash left in Habima Square after the demonstration.
The protest was organized by Arab leadership to demand that law enforcement curb violent crime in the community. Thousands of Jewish Israelis, many of them regular anti-government protesters, also took part.
Odeh says the demonstration could mark the start of Arab participation in protests against Israel’s current right-wing government.
“It is also an opportunity to call on Arab citizens to partake in protests against the coup,” referring to the judicial overhaul, and more broadly, the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. “This is a common struggle for all of us.”
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From the Liveblog of
Saturday, January 31, 2026
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